Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2012

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal to reopen service connection for hypertension due to his withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's cause of death was due to circulatory collapse, caused by probable acute myocardial infarction and coronary atherosclerotic heart disease. The Board finds that PTSD did not contribute substantially or materially to the Veteran's cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and information regarding his employment history.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's death was caused by a condition incurred or aggravated during his service, including due to asbestos exposure. The VA will also obtain medical opinions regarding whether any such conditions contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's death.

The Board found no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange or any other herbicide in the Veteran's service records. The claims for diabetes mellitus, type II; lung cancer; prostate cancer; and hypertension were all denied as there is insufficient evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing and following some form of substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Veteran seeks service connection for hypertension, including as due to Agent Orange exposure. The Board has determined that additional development is needed and the case is being remanded.

The Veteran's hypertension was granted service connection as it manifested within a year of her separation from active duty. The Board found that asthma, plantar fasciitis, right foot, bilateral ankle arthritis, and irritable bowel syndrome are secondary to her service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding VA and private treatment records, a need for an examination, and further development of the record.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for a head injury, hypertension, and arterionephrosclerosis. However, the preponderance of the evidence is against these claims as there is no current residual head injury related to service, and the diseases are not shown to be causally or etiologically related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is service-connected, with a rating of 100%.,Secondary service connection for cerebrovascular accident due to hypertension is also granted.

The Veteran's death was caused by a Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) and hypertension, which is not service-connected. The claim for non-service connected death pension benefits has been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, hypertension, inguinal and cervical lymphadenopathy, residuals of an upper respiratory infection (COPD), and Guillian-Barre syndrome due to lack of direct evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and heart disability are aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, warranting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder or adjustment disorder is considered to have had its onset during his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.,For the period from February 9, 2010 to December 4, 2010, the Veteran's hypertension disability was rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's service connection for diabetes mellitus due to Agent Orange exposure was granted, with a retroactive effective date of August 27, 2007. Service connection and initial ratings were also granted for other conditions including CAD, arthritis (unspecified), back disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, stomach disorder, and residuals of cold injury of the left hand.

The Board denied the Veteran's accrued benefits claims for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, Raynaud's syndrome, degenerative joint disease, a back condition, and a hiatal hernia due to lack of evidence showing service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, prostate cancer residuals, bilateral cataracts, and erectile dysfunction. The Veteran was not found to have been exposed to herbicides or other conditions that would trigger presumptive service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not onset in service and is not causally related to service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's heart disorder is not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a current disability. The claims for new and material evidence for the back disorder, initial evaluation for hypertension with nephropathy, and evaluation in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus are denied.