Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2013

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, sleep apnea, and skin disease were denied as secondary to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability. The Board denied service connection for hypertension on a direct basis.

The Board found that the Veteran's ankle/feet, back, neck, left shoulder, stomach/gastrointestinal, and psychiatric disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The kidney disorder was determined to be pre-existing and not aggravated during service.

The Veteran's combined rating was 60 percent after the appellant's 26th birthday, but did not meet the requirement of a permanent and total disability for DEA benefits.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain medical opinions regarding the cause of the Veteran's death and whether his service-connected asthma or any in-service incident caused or aggravated other causes of death. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for further development to determine its relationship to his diabetes mellitus type II. The issue of an increased rating for prostate cancer residuals remains on appeal.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated as noncompensable, and the evidence does not show that his blood pressure readings consistently meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7101.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hypertension, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral foot disability, cervical spine disability or bilateral knee disability. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to his active service. As a result, service connection for hypertension is granted.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if it is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has remanded the issues of hepatitis C, a bilateral foot disability, prostate disability, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current heart disorder or back disorder that is related to service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection for hypertension and a back disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is being remanded due to the need for an addendum VA examination to address whether his current hypertension was caused or aggravated by his service-connected coronary artery disease or PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity has been rated at 30 percent since March 26, 2012.,The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity has been rated at 30 percent since September 27, 2005.,The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity (dominant) has been rated at 30 percent since March 26, 2012.,The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity (non-dominant) has been rated at 20 percent since September 27, 2005.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his VA vocational rehabilitation file and post-August 2012 treatment records from the Central Texas Health Care System. He will also be provided with a foot examination to determine the current severity of his bilateral pes planus.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have current disability involving hypertension. Despite isolated elevation of blood pressure readings during and after service, no diagnosis of hypertension was confirmed by multiple blood pressure readings taken on at least three different days.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of his claims file.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is presumed to have been incurred during his period of active service due to an elevated blood pressure reading at discharge and subsequent treatment with medication within one year.