Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2014

The Veteran is found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, which prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and provide an addendum opinion regarding whether his hypertension was aggravated by his service-connected Type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's skin disorder and prostate disability are presumed to be due to his service in Vietnam, where he was exposed to Agent Orange. The Board is remanding the case for further development.,Service connection has been denied for hypertension as there is no evidence of its onset during service or within a year postservice.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to service, including as due to herbicide exposure. Service connection is denied for all issues.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertension was treated at Baptist Medical Center Beaches on January 5, 2012 due to a medical emergency where delay in seeking immediate care would have been hazardous. Treatment from VA facilities was not feasibly available and an attempt beforehand or obtaining prior authorization would not have been reasonable.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein. The evidence does not support a finding of an in-service disease or injury, nor is there credible evidence linking his current condition to service.

The Veteran's diabetic nephropathy with hypertension is rated at 30 percent prior to July 2, 2009 and at 60 percent from July 2, 2009. The effective date of the increased rating remains unclear as it was not specified in the decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and to provide a VA examination to determine the etiology of his hypertension, including whether it is related to service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable error in the 1995 rating decision denying back disability. The RO also determined that the evidence did not meet criteria for an increased rating for orthostatic hypertension or micturition syncope.

The Board has determined that there is no new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for hypertension. The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran's elevated blood pressure in service was not related to her current hypertension.

The Board has granted a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD effective April 15, 2011. The Veteran's claim was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence regarding his hypertension.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, may not be presumed to have been incurred in service, and is not proximately due to or aggravated by a service-connected disability, including PTSD. As such, the claim for service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, hiatal hernia, hypertension, GERD, bowel disorder, and sleep disorder due to insufficient development of evidence.

The Veteran's hypertensive heart disease has been rated at 60 percent since April 8, 2004. The current rating is appropriate given the level of left ventricular ejection fraction and workload.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for hypertension.

The Veteran's hypertension, allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis claims have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under Diagnostic Code 7101 (hypertension) or service connection based on direct evidence of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple conditions, including prostatitis, memory loss, refractive errors of the eye, wrist condition, sinus bradycardia, hypercholesterolemia, ischemic heart disease, PTSD, sleep apnea, left elbow scar, pseudofolliculitis barbae, right hand middle finger acquired deformity, bilateral peripheral retinal degeneration with dysfunctional tear syndrome and vitreous floaters, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction. The claims were denied as there was no competent evidence of a service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, to include as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease, is being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions. The case will be reviewed again after obtaining additional evidence.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for additional development to determine if it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, but effective dates earlier than the assigned dates are determined to be appropriate.,For headaches and gastrointestinal disability, service connection was established on a direct basis.