Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding hearing requests and the Veteran's request for a Board hearing.

The Board has determined that by granting the Veteran's claims, hypertension and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for further development regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is permanently aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claims can be decided, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate examinations to assess his diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to March 3, 2009.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, are denied as there is no competent evidence of such conditions in service or within one year post-service. The Veteran's current diagnoses do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the current severity of his service-connected diabetes mellitus and whether his hypertension and erectile dysfunction are secondary to or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes.

The Board found that there is no evidence showing hypertension manifested during service or within one year of separation, and thus denied the claim for service connection. The Veteran's right hip disorder and low back disorder claims are not currently on appeal as they were addressed in a separate decision.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a low back disability in service and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that any current low back disability is related to service. The Veteran's hypertension was also not incurred in service, and the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that it is related to his service.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's depression is at least as likely as not incurred in service.,Service connection was also granted for hypertension, with the Board concluding it was aggravated by active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and providing the Veteran with VA examinations to address his claims. The issues remaining for adjudication are limited to those listed on the Title Page.

The Board finds that the Veteran's nonservice-connected hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected prostate cancer, depression and erectile dysfunction with Peyronie's disease.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence to support the claimed conditions and determined that they are not related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his hypertension and residuals of lipomas, as well as a VA examination to determine if he currently has hearing loss and tinnitus related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for low back disorder, asthma, PTSD, knee disorders, ankle disorders, shoulder disorders, bilateral pes planus, and hypertension have been granted with initial disability ratings effective October 1, 2007.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of his first period of active service and was prior to his entry into active duty in October 2001. The preexisting condition was presumed to have existed prior to service, but it was also determined that the hypertension clearly and unmistakably was not aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, organic heart disease, right leg disability, residuals of head injury (headaches), and left heel contusion were denied as the evidence did not establish a direct relationship to service.

The Veteran's hypertension, gastrointestinal disorder (divergiculosis and AVM), and congenital arteriovenous malformation were not incurred or aggravated by service. The claims are denied.

The Veteran's hepatitis C is found to be related to his service, with the Board finding that reasonable doubt has been resolved in favor of a connection.,Regarding hypertension, the Board determined that it was not incurred or aggravated by service and is not caused by or aggravated by service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to service connection for hypertension.