Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2011

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a plantar wart of the left foot has been withdrawn. The Board is remanding the remaining issues, including an increased rating for a left knee disability with traumatic arthritis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, and thus grants service connection for hypertension on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is granted service connection based on exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. Service connection for hypertension and hearing loss are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a heart disorder as secondary to his hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of cardiovascular disability and noting that the Veteran's symptoms were not cardiac in origin.

The Veteran's hypertension is not service-connected, and the Board finds that it was not incurred or aggravated by his active service. The Veteran does not have peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities or feet. His kidney disease has been evaluated as renal dysfunction under Diagnostic Code 7535, but there is no evidence showing albumin constant or recurring with hyaline and granular casts or red blood cells.,The Veteran's hypertension was not found to meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since October 13, 2005 and increased to 50 percent effective January 2, 2009.,The Veteran also has hypertension and diabetes mellitus that are not service-connected.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension and metabolic syndrome are not attributable to his period of active service, including as due to herbicide exposure, nor is it proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Veteran's hypertension was evaluated at a noncompensable rating, as her blood pressure readings did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under Diagnostic Code 7101. The skin disorder (previously characterized as dermatitis) and Raynaud's syndrome were also evaluated at noncompensable ratings.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not begin during service and was not related to military service. As a result, the claim for service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient information provided by the January 2009 VA examiner. The Veteran's hypertension is being reviewed in light of new evidence and opinions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased initial evaluations in all three issues, including lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease, hypertension, and status post repair, flexor tendon, left little finger. As a result, the claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right eye disability, hypertension, scrotal disability, and knee disabilities have been denied. The RO found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The issues are about an initial rating for anxiety disorder and service connection for hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and higher initial rating for service-connected hypertension was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating, as his blood pressure readings did not consistently meet the requirements for a 20% or higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7101.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against finding that the Veteran's hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) are etiologically related to service or herbicide exposure. Therefore, these claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no credible evidence of an in-service stressor, and his current psychiatric disability is not shown to be related to service. His hypertension and weakness conditions are also not linked to service.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal for all issues except possibly service connection on the merits.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for service-connected hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy. The Veteran was previously granted a noncompensable evaluation in November 2000 and later received a 10 percent rating effective February 8, 2002.