Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2012

The Veteran's emergency medical treatment at Hendersonville Medical Center on November 8, 2009 was found to be appropriate due to the severity of his symptoms and the prudent layperson expectation that delay in seeking immediate medical attention would have been hazardous.

The Veteran's service-connected focal glomerulosclerosis with hypertension and status post myocardial infarction is not manifested by the required symptoms for a higher rating, and he does not meet the criteria for TDIU due to his service-connected disability alone.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and therefore grants service connection for hypertension as secondary to diabetes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA disability benefits records and reconsidering the issues on appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss, residuals of head injury, adjustment disorder with depressed mood, hypertension, fatty liver, glucose intolerance, and lumbar degenerative arthritis. The decision also addressed a claim for overpayment of pension benefits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral elbow, wrist, and knee disabilities, prostate disability, psychiatric disability, hypertension, and skin disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, presumed due to exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. Service connection was denied for hearing loss, internal hemorrhoids, ulcerative proctitis, hypertension, a heart disorder (presumed secondary to hypertension), right kidney disorder (renal cell carcinoma), Hashimoto's thyroiditis with goiter, and gallstones.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran has any current cardiovascular disability other than hypertension and whether it is related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, congestive heart failure, lung disability (to include lung cancer), eye disability, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, bilateral lymphedema of the lower extremities, erectile dysfunction, and sleep apnea. The Board found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active service nor proximately due to any exposure to toxic fumes or chemicals in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hypertension is secondary to his service-connected post-traumatic headaches, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran is not rendered unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment as a result of his service-connected disabilities.