Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and readjudicating the issues.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for hypertension, which the Board has remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding its relationship to herbicide exposure during service. The appeal will be returned to the AOJ after further development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an opinion on whether hypertension is related to diabetes mellitus and addressing the Veteran's TDIU claim.

The Board has ordered the Veteran to be scheduled for VA examinations and requested additional medical records. The appeal is currently in remand status due to incomplete information.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome and hypertension, as well as a higher rating for sinusitis, are being remanded due to the need for additional development including VA examinations.

The Board has ordered a remand to determine if the Veteran had hypertension or any other cardiac condition during his active military service or within one year after separation from active military service.

The Board has determined that the VA examination is inadequate and additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for hypertension and heart disability.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection for hypertension and an increased rating for PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, which was sustained during active duty service, is entitled to service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for left hand degenerative arthritis, denied service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus, and reopened the claim of right knee disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and hypertension were denied as there was no evidence of chronic symptoms in service or continuous after service separation. The Board found that the current disabilities are not related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension manifested to a compensable degree within one year of separation from active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for regurgitation of the heart valves and cardiac valve disease have been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal.,Service connection has not been granted for pulmonary hypertension. The Board finds that there is no evidence to support this claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension did not originate in service or for many years thereafter, is not related to any incident during active service, and is not caused or aggravated by any service-connected disabilities. Therefore, the claim for service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities on a presumptive basis due to exposure to Agent Orange during active service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension is not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus does not warrant service connection on a secondary basis. As such, the claim for service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Board has ordered another VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension and whether it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected adjustment disorder or CAD. The Veteran's claim for secondary service connection will be remanded as well.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 20 percent, and he was granted service connection for his hypertensive vascular disease (hypertension) as secondary to his service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.