Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD permanently aggravated his hypertension and diabetes mellitus, Type II.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension did not have its onset in or within one year of service discharge, and therefore cannot be presumed to have been incurred due to herbicide exposure. The claim for service connection is denied as there is no direct evidence linking the current diagnosis of hypertension to his active duty.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues regarding service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus, specifically addressing whether these conditions were aggravated during a third period of active military service.

The Board has granted an initial, extra-schedular rating of 30 percent for hypertension, effective the date of claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, finding no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for hemorrhoids, hypertension, and prostate cancer in August 2002. The new evidence submitted since then does not provide a link between the current conditions and military service.

The Veteran's hypertension is not shown by the competent medical evidence of record to be etiologically related to a disease, injury, or event in service or to a service-connected disability. Service connection for hypertension cannot be granted on a presumptive basis under 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(a).

The Veteran's service-connected ischemic heart disease results in impairment more nearly approximating the criteria for a 60 percent rating, which was granted. The claims for service connection for hypertension and residuals of stroke are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, lumbar spine intervertebral disc syndrome, and pseudofolliculitis barbae. Hypertension is presumed to have been incurred within one year of separation from service due to consistent blood pressure readings. Lumbar spine intervertebral disc syndrome is also presumed as it was diagnosed shortly after service discharge. Pseudofolliculitis barbae is considered service-connected based on its onset during military service and no evidence against this.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for hypertension secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, finding that new and material evidence was not received.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with VA examinations to assess his service-connected lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), hypertension, and bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's death was caused by cardiopulmonary arrest, with COPD and hypertension as underlying conditions. The Board has ordered additional development to determine if ischemic heart disease is related to service due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an initial evaluation in excess of 80 percent for nephropathy.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, impotence, and cataracts are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing in-service onset or connection to service.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's current condition did not manifest during or within one year after his military service and is not related to any in-service exposure. The claim was decided on the basis of direct service connection.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure in Korea and denied service connection for all claimed disabilities as secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an addendum VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea and hypertension, as well as to address his claims of exposure to environmental hazards during service in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active duty service. The claims for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities and hypertension, both claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II, are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis and hypertension are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and scheduling new VA compensation examinations.