Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2012

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected diabetes mellitus and associated conditions. The issues of entitlement to SMC based on loss of use of upper extremities, service connection for renal insufficiency and onychomycosis, and evaluation of peripheral neuropathy are also remanded.

The evidence does not show that the Veteran's hypertension had its onset during his military service or is related to any period of active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA. The Board finds that direct service connection fails because there is no competent medical evidence linking a current diagnosis of hypertension to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claims for erectile dysfunction, body rash, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy were denied. The claim for an eye disorder was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has granted a 70 percent rating. The issues of increased evaluations for his other service-connected conditions are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and effective dates have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims.

The Veteran's hypertension and CVA were not shown during service, nor within one year thereafter. The Board finds that the Veteran is not entitled to service connection for these conditions on a direct basis.,While the residuals of a CVA have not been shown to be causally or etiologically related to military service, they are secondary to hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board denied the Veteran's attempt to reopen his claim for service connection for hypertension, including as due to herbicide exposure and/or a service-connected disorder. The evidence submitted did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that they are related to military exposure to acoustic trauma. Service connection for essential hypertension was denied as it did not have its onset during active duty or within one year of discharge.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for hypertension and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and vascular disorder are related to his period of active service, with aggravation beyond normal progression.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow for additional evidentiary development, including obtaining SSA records and providing a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD did not contribute substantially or materially to his death, as evidenced by VA examiners' opinions and medical records. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that service-connected conditions caused or contributed to the cause of death.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and PTSD, resulting in a denial.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, acid reflux, left and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for hypertension. Bilateral hearing loss is presumed to be related to active duty, while hypertension was not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for atherosclerotic coronary vascular disease status post myocardial infarction, hypertension, and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure on the basis of presumptive service connection due to chronic diseases manifesting within one year after discharge. The Veteran's current conditions are found to be proximately due or the result of his service-connected hypertension.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete information and evidence, including verification of a period of active duty following September 11, 2001. Further efforts are needed to obtain records related to his service, particularly regarding hearing loss and hypertension.

The Board found no competent evidence linking the cause of the Veteran's death to his service or any service-connected disability, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not manifest during service or within one year of discharge, and there was no evidence linking his current condition to service. The VA examiner opined that the hypertension is less likely than not caused by or aggravated by PTSD.