Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2013

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension due to a lack of an opinion regarding whether it is secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The case will be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for hypertension and right knee osteoarthritis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there is no clear and unmistakable evidence to support a finding of aggravation by service or any other link between the claimed conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is directly related to his service, including exposure to Agent Orange. The issue remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and a respiratory disability, to include bronchitis and atopic rhinitis, was denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the current disabilities and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a video conference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral Charcot joints, bilateral foot drop, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and cataracts, are denied as they cannot be presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by his military service due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic back disability in service, and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for his current back disability, heart disability, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran had hypertension first diagnosed during service and is presumed to be service-connected. The claim for service connection for hypertensive heart disease/LVH remains pending.

The Veteran's cause of death was cardio-pulmonary arrest due to acute myocardial infarction, which is not service-connected as there is no evidence linking his heart and lung problems to his military service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and finds that new and material evidence has been received. The claim will be further adjudicated by the RO.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. The appeal will be reconsidered after the examination.

The Veteran's sinusitis did not manifest during service and is not related to any in-service event. It was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.,Hypertension was not manifested during service, nor within one year of separation from service. The Veteran does not have current hypertension.,There is no evidence of myocardial infarction during service and the Veteran does not currently have a heart disability to include myocardial infarction.,Gastroesophageal reflux disease did not manifest during service and is not related to any in-service event. It was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.,The Veteran does not have a current diagnosed gastric ulcer.,The Veteran does not have a current liver disability.,Service connection for kidney disorder (calculi of the kidney) cannot be established as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis and it is not related to any in-service event. The claim has been reopened but remains denied.,There is no evidence of bronchial asthma or allergies during service, nor are they currently diagnosed. The claims have been reopened but remain denied.,Service connection for allergies and asthma cannot be established as there is no evidence of a medical nexus between the conditions and a service-connected disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension required continuous medication without a history of diastolic pressure predominantly 110 or more or systolic pressure predominantly 200 or more, and thus did not meet the criteria for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent. The TDIU claim was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining records from his bypass surgery in 2009.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. Service connection was also denied for a skin disorder, low back disorder, sleep disorder, stomach disorder, penis deformity, prostate disorder, and heart disease.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease and hypertension were not shown to have developed as a result of service or any related conditions. The Board found no evidence supporting the claim that these conditions are due to exposure to ionizing radiation during service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been incurred or aggravated therein. The Board also determined that it is less likely than not that his current hypertension is related to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 30 percent, renal insufficiency at 100 percent effective April 17, 2009. The diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction and diabetic retinopathy remains rated at 20 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, back disability, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, type 2. The Board found that there was no evidence of chronic conditions in service or within one year after separation from service, and that the Veteran did not have continuous symptoms since separation. Service connection could not be established on a direct basis due to lack of medical nexus between current disabilities and service. The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus, type 2, was denied as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure in Japan.