Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case to the AOJ for further development and readjudication due to conflicting evidence regarding when the Veteran's hypertension began, as well as inconsistencies in medical opinions.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and the Board has granted this claim. The claim for high cholesterol remains pending as it was not addressed in the decision.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus with hypertension is rated at 60 percent, and he meets the criteria for a grant of TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's hypertension was caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, Congestive Heart Failure, Hypertension, and Loss of Balance as the evidence did not show an in-service event, injury or disease to these conditions.,Service connection was also not granted for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of competent medical evidence linking the condition to service.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease due to herbicide exposure in Thailand. The Veteran's claims for hypertension, anxiety disorder, depression, lung disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of peripheral neuropathy or hypertension during service, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service. The Veteran's current diagnoses do not meet the criteria for service connection.,There were isolated high blood pressure readings during service, but no chronic condition was established. The medical records do not provide sufficient evidence to establish a link between hypertension and service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and sinusitis to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his conditions, as well as to clarify the relationship between his service-connected sinusitis and any other diagnosed conditions. The Veteran will be provided an opportunity to respond to these actions.

The Veteran's preexisting left eye condition was not permanently aggravated by military service, and thus he is not entitled to service connection for the claimed disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected psychiatric disorder, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for hypertension as secondary to a psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension are denied as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during service, and the conditions did not manifest within one year post-service. The Board finds that the Veteran's current diagnoses do not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and hypertension due to exposure to herbicides. Both conditions are presumed to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased PTSD rating, service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his medical records.

The Veteran's death is being reviewed due to concerns about VA negligence in discontinuing his prescribed hypertension medication, which may have contributed to his untimely demise. The claims are remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including scheduling a hearing with a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and hypertensive heart disease, but determined that the effective dates should be July 29, 1993 (for hypertension) and April 6, 2009 (for hypertensive heart disease). The Veteran's claims are considered 'mixed' as some issues were granted while others were not.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining SSA records and service personnel records from Fort Gordon and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was due to hypertension, which is service-connected. Therefore, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in service and is unrelated to her right nephrectomy. The claim for service connection was denied.