Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2012

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical opinions and treatment records. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and as it is not related to a service-connected disability. Therefore, service connection for hypertension was denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of all remaining issues on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for various conditions, including a psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and depression, low back disability, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, hip disability, muscle spasms, gout, sleep disorder, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction has been denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disability involving depression or PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a travel board hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the Cleveland RO. The case will then be returned to the Board for further appellate review.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for various conditions, including right leg injury residuals, left scrotal mass, arthritis and bursitis of hands and shoulders, left thumb condition, cervical spine degenerative changes, left ankle disorder, right leg fracture residuals/pain, mumps residuals, hypertension, coronary artery disease, erectile dysfunction, and insomnia. The claims were denied as the evidence did not support service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease with congestive heart failure are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The Board will seek new examinations that comply with prior remand instructions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension, concluding that there was no clinical diagnosis of the disease prior to 2009 and no continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board found no evidence of hypertension in service and insufficient medical evidence to support the contention that her hypertension is secondary to her service-connected PCOS. The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a Travel Board hearing. The issues of service connection for hearing loss and reopening the claim for hypertension remain unresolved.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for various issues including hypertension, lumbar spine spondylosis, left lower extremity sciatica, and erectile dysfunction. The highest initial compensable evaluation of 10 percent was granted for hypertension, but evaluations in excess of the assigned were denied for lumbar spine spondylosis and left lower extremity sciatica.

The Board has determined that further development of the Veteran's claims is warranted, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his PTSD with dyssomnia, left shoulder disability, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea. The case is REMANDED for these actions.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have hypertension, BPH, colon cancer and bowel obstruction, or diabetes mellitus that is attributable to active service, including exposure to herbicides in service. As such, these claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied service connection for hypertension and prostate cancer. The Veteran's current hypertension is not related to active service, while his prostate cancer is not related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a medical examination.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's hypertension with supraventricular tachycardia and sick sinus syndrome, effective February 26, 2004.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and is not related to a service-connected disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the relationship between his hypertension and service-connected conditions, as well as an assessment of whether his service-connected disabilities render him unemployable.

The Board has ordered the RO to obtain VA treatment records and provide a new opinion on whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service, including in-service complaints of fatigue and headaches. The appeal will be remanded for these actions.