Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2011

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, internal hemorrhoids, varicose veins of the lower extremities, eczema, left foot cold weather injury residuals, right foot plantar fasciitis, and right foot calcaneal fracture. The reasons provided are that there is no current evidence linking these conditions to service or any other basis for service connection.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and therefore his cause of death is not considered to be due to service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board found no credible evidence of herbicide exposure during service and denied the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus and hypertension as not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is presumed to be due to his in-service herbicide exposure. His osteomyelitis and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran's hypertension is not service connected as it does not meet the presumptive criteria for diseases associated with herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied as there is no competent and credible evidence confirming the condition. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hypertension.

The Veteran's hypertension developed during his period of service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia and hypertension, finding that these conditions are not secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The initial ratings assigned were denied.

The Board has restored service connection for CAD (with hypertension and residuals of a myocardial infarction and residuals of coronary artery bypass grafting), Peripheral Vascular Disease with peripheral neuropathy of each lower extremity, and Erectile Dysfunction.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and coronary artery disease are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to have contributed to his hypertension, which in turn was a significant condition contributing to his death. Service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private facility was denied because VA facilities were available and feasible to provide the necessary treatment during his condition's stabilization period.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The effective date for the 70% rating for PTSD remains November 9, 2000.

The Board denied the reopening of the previously denied claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that new and material evidence had not been received.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension are being remanded due to inadequate notice in the original rating decision, and because adjudication of one claim may impact the other.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining SSA records.

The Veteran's hyperlipidemia and hypertension are found to be caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's dental disorder is not considered a compensable condition for the purpose of obtaining VA outpatient treatment.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and tinea pedis are all granted as they meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left homonymous hemianopsia and hypertension. The decision found no direct relationship between these conditions and his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not result from his military service and is not related to his diabetes, which he had for many years prior to his diagnosis of hypertension.