Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2015

The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension is less likely than not related to his service, service-connected diabetes mellitus, PTSD, or presumed Agent Orange exposure. Therefore, service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of death due to alcoholic cirrhosis, which was caused by alcohol dependence aggravated by PTSD resulting from combat experiences in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and worker's compensation records. The Veteran will be scheduled for a VA examination to address his ED, low back disability, and bilateral knee disability.

The Board found that there is no evidence of hypertension during service or within one year post-service, and the Veteran's current diagnosis was not caused by military service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for SMC at a higher level due to his need for regular aid and attendance by another person.

The Veteran's hypertension is not service connected as it did not develop in service or within the first post-service year, and there is no evidence of a link between PTSD and hypertension.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and an initial compensable disability rating for colon polyps, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and military service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and seeking an opinion on whether the Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The issue of service connection for left ear hearing loss remains on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension was not present in service, did not manifest until more than one year after his discharge from service, and was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability. Therefore, service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Board denied increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, right and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and TDIU prior to September 16, 2014. The Veteran's service-connected conditions were found not to meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to verify his alleged exposure to Agent Orange and to obtain medical opinions regarding the nature of his psychiatric, diabetes, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, adrenal gland tumor, and prostate disability claims.

The Veteran's squamous cell cancer of the vocal cord is related to herbicide exposure, and his COPD and hypertension are found to be secondary to service-connected PTSD.

The case is being remanded for additional development to obtain missing records, provide a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease, and determine the nature and etiology of his sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's migraines, depression, hypertension, gout, and hepatitis C are related to his active duty service. The Veteran's PTSD is not supported by evidence of record.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings were denied. The Board found that hypertension was not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident in service and did not manifest within one year of service discharge. GERD was not manifested by persistently recurrent epigastric distress with dysphagia, pyrosis, and regurgitation, accompanied by substernal or arm or shoulder pain, to any level of severity. For the entire appeal period (with the exception of a period of a temporary total rating as per 38 C.F.R. § 4.30), the Veteran's lumbar spine disability was manifested by functional impairment consisting of subjective complaints of pain and limitation of motion, without limitation of the thoracolumbar spine to less than 60 degrees or limitation of the combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine less than 120 degrees. The assignment of an initial 10 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy as of June 21, 2011, but no earlier, and an initial noncompensable rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy as of March 27, 2012, were proper. The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings for right shoulder arthritis were denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is attributable to his service-connected hypertension and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's depression is causally related to his service-connected PTSD and diabetes-related disabilities, leading to a grant of service connection for depression.

The Veteran's appeal was granted, with a TDIU from July 1, 2013. The remaining issues were dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals for these claims.

The Veteran's claim for additional dependency benefits was granted with an effective date of December 1, 1995.