Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2013

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, glaucoma, and cataracts as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. The Veteran's eye disorders have been found to be aggravated by his diabetes.

The Veteran's hypertension and high cholesterol were denied as service-connected. The Board found no evidence of chronic symptoms in service, no current disability related to service, and insufficient medical nexus evidence connecting the disabilities to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including residuals of colon cancer, right shoulder disability, left testicle disability, bronchitis/asthma, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and heart disability. The appeals were based on new and material evidence for residuals of colon cancer.

The Veteran's DM is presumed due to his service in Vietnam, and he has been granted presumptive service connection for this condition. His skin disabilities are not deemed associated with herbicide exposure but have been found to be related to his DM.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including an opinion on whether hypertension is aggravated by diabetes mellitus and a determination of TDIU benefits. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Board has granted service connection for basal cell skin cancer and is remanding the issue of service connection for hypertension due to potential inadequacies in the examination report.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hypertension was not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected malaria or PTSD, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension due to Agent Orange exposure are denied. The claim for malaria is also denied.,The Veteran's PTSD disability rating remains at 50 percent, but he is not entitled to a higher evaluation. His malaria condition does not warrant an initial compensable evaluation.,Regarding TDIU, the Board finds that there is no evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of hypertension, and the Board has dismissed the matter as a result.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and major depression, rendered him unable to engage in or retain substantially gainful employment during the period from October 23, 2008, to June 2, 2011.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further evaluation due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of updated treatment records.

The Veteran's hypertension has been rated at 10 percent prior to September 29, 2011, and at 30 percent thereafter. The current rating is appropriate based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA general medical examination without good cause.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen his diabetes mellitus, low back disorder, or gastroparesis claims. His Parkinson's disease, eye disorder, and hypertension claims are denied.

The Veteran's hypertension and kidney disease did not worsen due to changes in medication by VA treating providers, and the Board found no additional disability resulting from such treatment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and the Board grants a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and providing a new opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, claimed as secondary to service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination to determine if hypertension is proximately due to or aggravated by service-connected coronary artery disease and post traumatic stress disorder.