Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2014

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining missing service personnel records and private treatment records.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for hypertension but denied the claim as there is no evidence linking the current condition to service.

The Veteran's appeal involves issues related to the reduction of his hypertension rating, a debt resulting from marital status changes, and claims for various conditions. The case is being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling new VA examinations and issuing a Statement of the Case (SOC) on several claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and earlier effective date for nonservice-connected pension benefits were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of exposure to herbicides, and the hypertension was not related to service.

The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome is found to be etiologically related to military service, granting service connection for this condition. The claims of entitlement to service connection for GERD as secondary to PTSD and/or irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, hypertension, restless leg syndrome, numbness and tingling of the hands, and numbness and tingling of the feet are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examinations, including a VA pension examination. The issues are whether she is entitled to nonservice-connected pension benefits and if her non-service-connected disabilities render her permanently and totally disabled.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity is not service-connected, as it was not incurred or aggravated by service and is not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's hypertension is also not service-connected, as it was not incurred or aggravated by service and is not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and psychiatric disorders.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to address the issues of service connection for hypertension, whether it is secondary to PTSD, and whether it was caused by in-service herbicide exposure. The examiner must provide adequate rationale for any opinions rendered.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis, hypertension, COPD, and diabetes mellitus as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's cancer and hypertension are related to herbicide exposure or PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and remanded the issue to obtain a new medical opinion. The effective date of service connection for loss of use of bilateral lower extremities remains October 14, 2003.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and an initial compensable rating for three scars as a result of puncture wounds on his right leg. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of in-service diagnosis or treatment, and the VA examiner found no link between current hypertension and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed heart conditions and hypertension are not related to his service, including National Guard service. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining more recent medical records and providing the Veteran with examinations to assess his current hearing loss, wrist disability, hypertension, foot bunions, and lumbar spine condition.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to have become manifest during his active duty service and has persisted. The right shoulder disability is found to be at least as likely as not incurred or aggravated during a period of active duty service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD and hypertension are being remanded due to the missed VA examinations, outstanding VA treatment records, and need for further information regarding his in-service stressors. The Veteran will be scheduled for a VA examination to determine if he has these conditions related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right or left knee disability, and his bilateral hearing loss is not service-connected. The Board also finds that hypertension was present within one year of separation from service.

The Board found that there was no evidence of chronic hypertension during service, and the Veteran did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection. The current diagnosis of hypertension is not shown to have manifested within one year after separation from service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to conflicting medical opinions regarding his hypertension, and issues with obtaining private treatment records.