Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2012

The Veteran's claims for hypertension and an increased evaluation for his right knee disability are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to determine their current severity.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to verify if he set foot in Vietnam during his active duty.

The Veteran's hypertension and liver disorder were not shown to be related to service, with the exception of a trivial elevation in SGOT during service which was attributed to alcohol use. The Board finds that these conditions are not service-connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for any of the conditions he is seeking service connection for, and therefore, these claims are denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of hypertension is denied as there was no prior claim filed before October 28, 2007. The earliest possible effective date is therefore October 28, 2007.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions, including neurological disabilities of the extremities, vertigo, spontaneous fevers and chills, sleep apnea, hypertension, headaches, skin rash condition, and malignant melanoma, were denied as there is no competent medical or credible lay evidence to support these claims. The appeal does not involve service connection.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his service-connected conditions did not meet the criteria for increased ratings. The left foot disability, hypertension, right wrist and elbow disabilities were all found to be rated appropriately based on their current manifestations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of his hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions were granted, with a disability rating of 20% for the cervical spine condition. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, sinusitis, and rhinitis are denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.,VA has provided adequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee disability, left knee disability, and neck disability. However, additional development is needed to address his claims for hypertension, sinusitis, and rhinitis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claim of hypertension, and that vertigo/dizziness, skin disorder, left upper extremity neurological disorders, right upper extremity neurological disorders, and injury to the right upper extremity are not related to active duty service or secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses at Mid-Coast Medical Group on July 14, 2009 and July 15, 2009 was denied as the preponderance of evidence did not show an emergency condition necessitating treatment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not been sufficient by themselves to preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background. The Board finds that the criteria for a TDIU, including on an extra-schedular basis, are not met.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, as secondary to PTSD, and for diverticulitis, as aggravated by medications taken for his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claims for skin rash, hypertension and arteriosclerotic heart disease/coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, kidney disorder, liver disorder, and vision disorder. The Veteran's service connection claims were denied as there is no medical evidence demonstrating these conditions were incurred during active service.

The Veteran's TDIU rating was granted effective from October 10, 2006 due to service-connected heart disease. The Board found that the evidence did not establish he was unemployed and unemployable prior to this date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hypertension, right ankle injury, bilateral hearing loss, and dermatitis of the left foot, do not render him unemployable due to their combined effect. The VA examiner concluded that he is capable of performing physical or sedentary employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to a hearing issue and will be returned for further development.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II and hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim of secondary service connection for hypertension was legally insufficient as there is no evidence linking it to a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the case for a travel Board hearing and further development. The Veteran's appeal is not currently on hold regarding service connection for hypertension, but his claim for shortness of breath remains pending.