Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to his active duty service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have new and material evidence to reopen his claims for service connection for hypertension and a disability manifested by high cholesterol. The existing evidence, including VA treatment records and examination reports, confirms the presence of these conditions but fails to establish their relationship to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded both issues due to conflicting medical opinions and the need for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for an increased rating for bilateral eye injury and service connection for hypertension before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right hand disability and hypertension are related to his service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes, and thus denied the claim for secondary service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder other than a systolic murmur, finding that there was no evidence of chronic disease within one year after separation from service and no link between current symptoms and active duty service. The claim for an initial compensable rating for a systolic murmur is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the VA has not met its burden to provide a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his left knee condition prior to August 2, 2012 and in excess of 20 percent since that date.

The Board found that the causes of death (small cell lung cancer or pneumonia) were not directly related to active service. The examiner stated that rheumatic fever does not cause arteriosclerotic heart disease, and therefore, the Veteran's heart disease was not caused by his rheumatic fever infection in the military.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension did not develop during service or within one year of separation, and is not related to service. The preponderance of evidence shows that his hypertension began after he left military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, and thus denied the claim of secondary service connection for hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU were denied due to his failure, without good cause, to report for VA examinations. The service connection claims for memory loss, glaucoma, erectile dysfunction, and asthma are also denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have in-country service or documented exposure to herbicides, and thus could not establish service connection for any of his claimed disabilities on a presumptive basis. The preponderance of evidence was against each claim.

The Veteran's bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities is currently rated at 30 percent, and no higher. His bilateral hearing loss was not incurred during service, but hypertension secondary to diabetes mellitus is service-connected.

The Board finds that the Veteran's essential hypertension was incurred during his second period of active duty service or may be presumed to have been incurred due to the one-year presumption.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development of the record, including obtaining Social Security Administration records.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to be aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus granted as secondary service connection.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the inadequacies of a previous examination, including not discussing all disabilities and their impact on employment. The Veteran is required to provide information about any VA or private healthcare providers who have treated him since 2006.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's active duty service. The rating of 20% for right knee degenerative joint disease remains in effect.

The Board has granted an initial disability rating of 10 percent for service-connected hypertension, effective from the date of the grant of service connection.