Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2011

The Board granted service connection for benign schwannoma and hypertension, both presumed to be related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. Service connection was also granted for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities with initial evaluations of 10 percent prior to January 4, 2005, which were increased to 30 percent effective January 4, 2005.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a video hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, and a right leg condition were denied as there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining relevant medical records and providing a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, hypertension, and coronary artery disease have been granted.

The Veteran's initial and subsequent ratings for coronary artery disease with hypertension have been granted, but the appeal is pending. For peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, the Veteran has been granted increased ratings from August 17, 2009.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of any current DM.

The Veteran's PTSD is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, leading to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas. The Veteran is granted an initial evaluation of 70 percent for PTSD from April 11, 2001.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for leukemia, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus were denied as the evidence did not show that his conditions warranted a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and clarification of medical evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his service and thus denied all of his claims for service connection.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a cold injury of the right hand. The remaining claims, including those related to PTSD, diabetes mellitus due to Agent Orange exposure, and other conditions, are being remanded for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disability, left arm fracture, headaches, eye disability, hypertension, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease that would result in these disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD and hypertension are granted as service-connected, with the PTSD being related to his combat experiences during active duty.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for an increased evaluation for hypothyroidism and service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or any link to military service.,The Board also found that the appellant did not have chronic hypertension prior to 1990 and that his in-service hyperthyroidism did not result in any chronic hypertension or other cardiac disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension pre-existed his military service and was not aggravated by it. The Veteran's coronary artery disease is presumed to have been incurred in service, as there is no evidence of its onset within one year post-service discharge.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including providing the Veteran with VA examinations to address the etiology of his claimed skin rash and chronic hypertension.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for facial paralysis and hypertension due to incomplete records, including inpatient hospital records from Sheppard Air Force Base. The Veteran is requested to provide additional evidence or representation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his lumbar spine disability. The issues of increased evaluations for left shoulder disability and hypertension are also being addressed.