Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2011

The Veteran's hypertension is caused by his service-connected PTSD and military herbicide exposure, and the Board grants this claim.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and the acquisition of relevant medical records.

The Board has determined that the appellant's diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy were not incurred in active service or due to exposure to herbicides. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension and herpes zoster infection did not manifest during service or within a year of separation, and thus denied service connection for these conditions. The evidence did not support an earlier onset date.

The Board has granted service connection for post-operative residuals of a left elbow injury. The Veteran's hypertension and left knee disability are not considered to be related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's hypertension and hypertensive cardiovascular disease have been evaluated based on their current manifestations, with no higher ratings warranted.,The Veteran's IVDS of the lumbosacral spine has not met the criteria for a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities and their impact on employment. The claims are also being held in abeyance regarding a TDIU claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of her hypertension and bilateral foot condition.

The Board found that the appellant's heart disability, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and hypertension were not incurred or aggravated during his active service. The conditions preexisted his second period of active duty from September 2001 to September 2002 and were not aggravated beyond their natural progression.

The Veteran's tuberculosis, hypertension, and anxiety disorder claims are denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to service.

The Board has remanded the appeal for additional development, including obtaining service records and a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's hearing loss is related to his military noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing new VA examinations.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hypertension and peripheral neuropathy, bilateral lower extremities. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claim for payment of unauthorized medical expenses for services rendered at Northern Hospital of Surrey County on June 16, 2008 is denied as the evidence does not establish that the treatment was necessary due to an emergency condition.

The Veteran's PTSD and hypertension have been found to meet the criteria for a TDIU, effective August 25, 2004.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to verify his exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand and/or the Philippines, which is required by VA regulations. The Veteran also needs to provide authorization for private treatment records related to his hypertension.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection are being remanded due to his request for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his service-connected right and left ankle disorders, hypertension, and gastritis were denied. The Veteran also had claims regarding a right knee disorder that were not addressed in this decision.

The Board finds that the overpayment of VA disability compensation benefits was not properly created due to administrative error, and thus there is no valid overpayment. The Veteran's claim for waiver of an overpayment is granted.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for further medical evaluation and opinion to determine if it is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.