Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and high cholesterol were not found to be service-connected. The Board determined that the evidence did not support a finding of herbicide exposure or any other basis for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew the claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and an increased rating for PTSD prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's hypertension is not service connected as it did not begin during his military service and there is no evidence that it was aggravated by a service-connected disability, specifically PTSD.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension is not causally or etiologically related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including type II diabetes mellitus and its complications, have been denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides. The claimed conditions are not related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding no evidence of a relationship between service and the condition.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction, diagnosed in 1995 or 1996 prior to his diabetes mellitus onset, is considered secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's DM and hypertension are service-connected. The claim for headaches, bilateral foot disorders, low back disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder is reopened.

The Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder and/or chronic fatigue syndrome. For the period from December 2001 to August 2003, he was not entitled to a rating in excess of 30 percent for major depressive disorder; however, for the period from May 15, 2006 onwards, his chronic fatigue syndrome warranted a 100% disability rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to in-service herbicide exposure, and will be reconsidered after this development.

The Board has remanded the case for a medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically whether his prostate cancer diagnosis either predated his bladder cancer diagnosis or developed independently. The Court also noted that efforts should be made to obtain any relevant private treatment records from the Veteran's retirement up to his death.

The Board denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, vision disability, peripheral neuropathy of all extremities, and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) as not being related to military service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has denied the service connection claims for hypertension, a disability manifested by a 'fast heart', an acquired psychiatric disorder, hyperthyroidism, chronic pain, and insomnia, all claimed as secondary to hepatitis B.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death, myocardial infarction, was not service-connected and did not result from a service-connected condition. The Board also determined that neither diabetes nor PTSD contributed substantially to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case due to an equipment malfunction during a prior hearing, and the Veteran is requested to provide a new travel board hearing.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been reopened and service connection is granted.,The Veteran's claim for hypertension has also been reopened and service connection is granted.

The Board found that the appellant was not permanently incapable of self-support by reason of a mental or physical condition prior to attaining the age of 18, and thus denied DIC benefits as an adult helpless child.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for hypertension, finding that the new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease with hypertension was denied in May 1997. The effective date of the grant of service connection and assignment of a 100% disability evaluation is October 12, 2004.