Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hypertension is at least as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected bilateral total knee arthroplasty and residuals, thus granting service connection for hypertension on a secondary basis.

The Board found no evidence of service connection for the claimed conditions, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, end stage renal disease, diabetic retinopathy, and atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia with atrial flutter. The Veteran's claims were denied as there was insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between his current diagnoses and his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected Type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition and no evidence of its onset during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to inadequate VA examination and the need for additional medical opinions regarding his psychiatric, diabetes, neuropathy, hypertension, and scarring conditions.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for various issues, including service connection claims and initial rating determinations. The total disability rating for a pontine hemorrhage was granted but not extended beyond January 13, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including additional VA examinations and opinions regarding his respiratory disability and hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure, and secondary service connection for various disabilities were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension secondary to PTSD. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed again due to new evidence.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 10 percent, and his irritable bowel syndrome was initially rated at 10 percent prior to October 14, 2006. Effective January 28, 2011, the rating for irritable bowel syndrome has been increased to 30 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not proximately caused by VA treatment and thus denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Veteran's combined schedular disability rating is at least 80%, meeting the criteria for a TDIU. The Board finds that his service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, as they prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease were not incurred during service, as there is no evidence of a diagnosis or treatment for these conditions while on active duty. The Board concluded that the current diagnoses are less likely than not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for hypertension and service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including new VA examinations.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension did not manifest during service and is not shown to be related to his military service. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is denied as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and sleep apnea, as well as his requests for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction were denied. The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 60 percent for diabetic nephropathy with hypertension was granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions on causation and aggravation.

The Veteran's liposarcoma of the right spermatic cord is presumed to be related to exposure to herbicide agents during service. His hypertension, prostate disorder, renal cancer, and respiratory disorder are not presumptively associated with such exposure.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder, and therefore service connection for PTSD is denied. The claims for DM, hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, and peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure are also denied as there is no evidence of such conditions in the record.

The Board found no additional disability due to VA medical treatment and concluded that there was no fault on the part of VA in providing the treatment. The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied.