Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder, hypertension, and prostate disorder are found to be related to his service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension was aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II or PTSD.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to have originated during service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

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

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, bilateral upper and lower extremity impairment due to Parkinson's disease, and facial nerve impairment have been granted. The initial ratings assigned are 40 percent for right upper extremity impairment and 30 percent for left upper extremity impairment, all due to Parkinson's disease. Effective dates prior to December 4, 2007, have also been established.

The Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus and service connection for hypertension were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or service connection.

The Board has decided that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and kidney failure, including obtaining records from Baptist Hospital where he was hospitalized in 1984 and 1988.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension are all found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, skin disorder, respiratory disorder (emphysema), and hypertension due to Gulf War exposure. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's hypertension claim was denied in May 2009. The Board has not found new and material evidence to reopen the claim. The Veteran does not have left upper peripheral neuropathy, to include carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized non-VA treatment is granted as the criteria under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1728 are met due to permanent service-connected disability, medical emergency, and unavailability of a VA facility.

The Board has remanded the case due to a hearing issue, and no specific rating or effective date is provided.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further development is needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, depression, sleep apnea, knee disabilities, and osteoarthritis, were denied. The Board found no evidence of a relationship between the claimed conditions and active duty or National Guard service.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have hypertension or headaches during service, and thus denied entitlement to service connection for these conditions. The Board also noted that headaches were not caused by a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the relationship between hypertension and herbicide exposure in service. The Veteran's claim for service connection is now pending again.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, as there was insufficient medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's hypertension is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected coronary artery disease, and thus granted. The cataracts are not related to diabetes mellitus.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for an eye disability and hypertension. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and military service.