Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding private treatment records and a need for further examination regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disability and granted service connection for bronchitis. The claims of service connection for bronchiectasis, GERD, hypertension, bilateral eye disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, right hip disorder, erectile dysfunction, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board has determined that hypertension is due to the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not manifest in service and did not meet the criteria for a 10% disability rating within one year of separation. The examiner concluded that there was no evidence to support a relationship between the Veteran's current hypertension and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, right knee disability, and an increased evaluation for left knee tendonitis. The Veteran does not have a diagnosed disease of the right knee or current evidence supporting her claim for service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and tinnitus, do not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to April 5, 2013.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not begin during service and is not related to any injury, event or illness during service. The VA examiner concluded that there was no evidence of hypertension in service and it began many years after service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are not related to his service or any incident of service origin. The preponderance of evidence shows these conditions began many years after service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating in any of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for higher initial ratings for migraine headache syndrome and benign essential hypertension has been dismissed due to her withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of a back injury, head injury, rib injury, leg disability, and hypertension have been partially granted. Service connection was established for residuals of a back injury (high grade lumbar stenosis and an extruded disk at the L4-5 interspace on the left) and hypertension. The other conditions were not service connected.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal before the Board could make a decision on any issues.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including decreased vision, headaches, back disorder, sterility and erectile dysfunction, hypertension, skin disorder, nail fungus, and recurrent hemorrhoids are denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for hypertension. The Veteran's military service is found to be related to his current condition, thus allowing for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and any outstanding VA or private treatment records.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not have its onset during service and could not be presumed to have been incurred due to exposure to Agent Orange or other environmental factors. The VA examiner concluded that there was no evidence of a link between the Veteran's current hypertension and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, PTSD, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, CVA residuals, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since May 1, 2006. His combined disability rating is 70 percent from that date.

The Board found that the Veteran's currently diagnosed hypertension did not begin during or as a result of his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the issues of service connection for hypertension and a left leg disability, as well as other claims. The examination report must include opinions regarding whether these conditions are caused or aggravated by service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted.,Service connection is also established for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, to include mood disorder, schizophrenia, depression, a paranoid disorder, psychotic disorder, anxiety, and major depressive disorder.