Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's hypertension was not incurred or aggravated by service. The bilateral shoulder, elbow, wrist, and finger disorders are not related to service. The fatigue is not related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including hypertension, migraine headaches, heart disease, and kidney disease, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence did not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and cataracts due to final decisions in 2004. Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, was also denied as not related to service or any exposure therein.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for hypertension due to incomplete development and lack of compliance with previous directives. The case is now being returned to the RO/AMC for further development.

The Veteran's hypertension has been rated at 10 percent, and separate ratings of 10 percent have been granted for peripheral edema in both lower extremities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current cardiovascular disorder, including hypertension, that is service-connected. The right knee disability and acquired psychiatric disability are also denied as there is insufficient evidence to establish their onset during service or connection to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's loss of left kidney was incurred in service and grants this claim. The issue of entitlement to service connection for hypertension as secondary to the loss of left kidney is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran's DM was rated appropriately, but his PTSD warranted a higher rating from May 14, 2008.

The Board has granted service connection for atrioventricular block with a rating of 10% and effective date of November 19, 2007. The claim for dementia was reopened based on new evidence relating to the unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim (secondary to PTSD). Service connection for hypertension and hyperlipidemia were denied as these are not disabilities. An earlier effective date of October 31, 1996, for service connection for atrioventricular block was granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded to the RO for additional development.

The Veteran's hypertension is not service-connected and was denied. The Veteran's stress incontinence, which requires the use of absorbent materials more than four times per day, has been granted a 60 percent initial evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining updated treatment records. The claims will be reconsidered after these actions are completed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure in Korea and insufficient medical nexus to establish a link between current conditions and service.

The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II or hypertension due to lack of evidence of a current disability and no link to service, including exposure to herbicides. The claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for scheduling a personal hearing at the RO. The AOJ should take appropriate steps in accordance with the Veteran's request and return the claims file for further consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for right elbow (ulnar nerve) disability, hypertension, and a liver disorder to include hepatitis. Service connection was denied for the remaining conditions.

The Board found no evidence of current disabilities related to pes planus, hypertension, or tinnitus. The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was insufficient medical evidence linking these conditions to her active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining recent VA treatment records and scheduling an appropriate VA examination of his hearing loss disability. The issues of increased ratings for diabetes, hypertension, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are also being addressed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected diabetes mellitus with complications such as hypertension, macular edema, cataracts, and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus with hypertension has been rated at 20 percent since August 1, 2007.,Chronic diarrhea due to type II diabetes mellitus is rated separately and assigned a 10 percent rating.,Gastroesophageal reflux disease with dyspepsia and gastroparesis was initially rated as noncompensable prior to June 22, 2011. A separate 30 percent rating has been granted since that date.,The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease with dyspepsia and gastroparesis is not entitled to a higher rating from June 22, 2011.