Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2011

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a supplemental opinion from the VA examiner regarding whether hypertension is aggravated by service-connected PTSD and whether it would preclude the Veteran from obtaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's hypertension and steatohepatitis have been granted service connection, with a 20 percent evaluation for steatohepatitis effective June 1, 2004. Service connection has also been established for spermatic cord lipoma (or small indirect inguinal hernia). The remaining issues were denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, COPD, and hypertension as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's hypertension is not at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his diabetes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development of the medical records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, hypertension (claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus), bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy (claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus), erectile dysfunction (claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus or hypogonadism), and hypogonadism (claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure) have all been denied. The Veteran's depression is already service-connected through his PTSD, and hypertension does not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Board found no evidence of service connection for the claimed conditions, including diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. The Veteran's claims were denied as there was insufficient medical evidence to support a link between his current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran seeks payment or reimbursement for unauthorized medical expenses incurred at the Eye Center in Denver, Colorado on January 17, 2007. The NAPC has approved payment to Swedish Hospital for emergency treatment related to a fall injury and referral to the Eye Center. However, without records from Swedish Medical Center regarding the Veteran's return visit, the Board cannot determine if the Eye Center treatment was part of the approved emergency care.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and denied the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus Type II, arthritis of the left knee, hypertension, and gout as they are not related to service.

The Veteran's heart condition, including cardiomyopathy and mild pulmonary hypertension, is being reviewed to determine if it is related to service or the service-connected rheumatic fever.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently being considered for service connection, with the Board requesting additional development to address whether it is related to his military service or due to his service-connected conditions (CAD and PTSD).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and development to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including PTSD, hypertension, and rectal bleeding. The claims will be reviewed based on the results.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disorders, including peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal issues. The Board has determined that further development is necessary to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities is currently rated at 20 percent, which represents a full grant of his claim for increased ratings.,Service connection has been established for urinary incontinence as secondary to service-connected adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Service connection for hypertension has also been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder that was incurred or aggravated by his active service. The claims for a skin disorder, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, low back disorder and bilateral leg disorder are also denied as there is insufficient evidence to support these claims.

The Board denied a request for an effective date prior to August 5, 2008, for the grant of DIC benefits due to lack of evidence supporting such a claim.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hypertension due to new evidence showing that the Veteran's elevated blood pressure during service may have been a precursor to his current condition. However, the claim is denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking the current hypertension to service.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder, including PTSD and anxiety/panic attacks. The hypertension claim is remanded to determine if it is secondary to the service-connected psychiatric disability or due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tinnitus and hypertension due to incomplete development of his service connection claims, including a need to obtain STRs and provide new VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for a skin disorder (mucous patch), left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The remaining claims are pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing labile hypertension did not warrant service connection as there was no clear and unmistakable evidence of aggravation during his active duty.