Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2013

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of these conditions during service or within the presumptive period. The Board also found that any current diagnoses were not related to service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to lack of evidence supporting the claimed conditions and their relationship to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is presumed to be related to his in-service herbicide exposure, and the Board grants service connection for this condition. The remaining issues of service connection for hypertension, renal disease, cerebrovascular accident, heart condition, and peripheral neuropathy are remanded due to medical questions that cannot be answered by the Board.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not cause functional limitations that prevent him from overcoming his employment handicap, and thus he is not entitled to vocational rehabilitation training under Chapter 31 of Title 38 of the United States Code.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent prior to January 28, 2010 and is now rated at 70 percent. His hypertension remains at a 10 percent rating. The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is rated at 40 percent as of July 21, 2009.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral eye disability, back disability, and hypertension. The Veteran's claims were not reopened for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims of increased ratings and service connection for various conditions were denied due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The Board found that the current evidence was insufficient to substantiate these claims.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to address the issue of service connection for hypertension, which may be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board found that Addison's disease was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is unrelated to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his Reserve service records and to obtain any outstanding treatment records.

The Board found that hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and its incurrence or aggravation during such service may not be presumed. The Veteran's exposure to herbicides is not considered a basis for presumptive service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not manifest during active service or within one year of discharge, and was not caused or aggravated by exposure to herbicides such as Agent Orange. Therefore, the claim for service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Veteran experiences bilateral lower extremity edema, which the Board finds is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected kidney disease. As such, he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for hypertension and granted service connection for skin cancer. The Veteran's current skin cancer is found to be related to his in-service duties as a welder, which exposed him to ultraviolet light from welding equipment.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and will consider the claims again. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is not service connected, but he may have new evidence that could support his claim.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic adjustment disorder was granted, and he is currently receiving a 10 percent disability rating. The claims for service connection for low back disorder, hypertension, and squamous cell carcinoma of the left mandible were denied.

The Veteran's death was caused by multiple conditions, including respiratory failure and pulmonary emboli. The Board will seek additional medical records to determine if the cold weather exposure in service contributed substantially or materially to his cause of death.

The Veteran's digestive system disability, specifically irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastritis, has been determined to be aggravated by his service-connected anxiety disorder. The Board finds that the criteria for service connection have been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not manifest during service or until many years after discharge, and there is no competent medical opinion linking it to active service. The Board also noted that his service-connected diabetes mellitus and PTSD do not cause or aggravate his hypertension.

The Board found that the Veteran's diagnosed heart disorder and hypertension were not incurred or aggravated during his periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) with the National Guard. The evidence did not show any connection between these conditions and his service.