Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a comprehensive examination to assess the Veteran's ability to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional development of evidence, including medical opinions regarding the Veteran's left arm disability and hypertension.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The hypertension was diagnosed prior to the diagnosis of diabetes and is more likely related to a stroke in 1988.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing service treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, as secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the April 2011 VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not have its clinical onset in service and is not otherwise related to active duty. The Court remanded the case due to procedural issues.

The Board found no evidence of current disabilities related to service and denied the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypertensive heart disease, and urinary tract infection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for high blood pressure/hypertension and intermittent dizzy spells and blackouts have been dismissed due to the latter being already service-connected as symptoms of his heart disability. The claim for service connection for hypothyroidism has been granted with a 10% rating effective from October 31, 2002.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports, the need for a personal hearing, and the requirement of an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between his conditions and service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the claim was not properly raised and that there was no evidence linking the condition to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's claims of service connection for a bilateral elbow disability, hypertension, and lung disability have all been denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or chronicity within one year after separation from service.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease status post bypass surgery associated with hypertension was granted an initial rating of 30 percent from February 18, 2004, to July 7, 2010, and a subsequent increased rating to 60 percent effective July 8, 2010.

The Veteran's hypertension and congestive heart failure were not present in service, did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of separation, are not shown to be related to service, nor are they due to or aggravated by a service-connected disability.,The appellant is not entitled to accrued benefits based on the pending claims for hypertension and a heart disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for Scheuermann's disease, hypertension, bilateral finger disability, and a neck disability.

The Veteran's service-connected heart disability does not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, circulatory problems (claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II), right ear hearing loss disability, left ear hearing loss disability, and hypertension (claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II).

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal concerning the claim of entitlement to service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The remaining issues of entitlement to service connection for headaches and hypertension are addressed in the remand portion of this decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including hypertension, skin condition, foot disability, ankle disability, knee disabilities, and leg disabilities. The VA will provide examinations and seek medical opinions regarding these claims.