Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2015

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II; heart disease with ICD; and hypertension. The decision found no evidence of exposure to herbicides or other chemical agents during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not related to a service-connected disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities and hypertension as secondary to his service-connected Type II diabetes mellitus. The evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims, and the VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's conditions were not caused or aggravated by his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including VA examinations and the provision of an addendum to his September 2014 medical opinion.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in service and could not be presumed to have been incurred therein. The evidence did not show chronic symptoms of hypertension during or within one year after service separation, nor was there any link between the current diagnosis and service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and hypertension, to include as secondary to PTSD. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and an eye disability, finding that there was no evidence of onset during or within one year after active service, and that these conditions are not etiologically related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and a need for additional opinions regarding the Veteran's hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus, including allegations of exposure to chemical toxins and/or herbicides. The AOJ is instructed to complete the requested development and provide a formal response from the Department of Defense on the issue of exposure.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension and headaches were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor are they secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for large vessel disease, claimed as coronary artery disease, has been reopened. The RO granted a 50 percent evaluation for PTSD from November 22, 2010 and denied all other claims.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a respiratory disorder, to include asthma. The VA examiner concluded that there was no nexus between the veteran's active duty service and her current conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertension is rated at 10 percent, effective from the date of his claim. The appeal for increased rating for diabetes mellitus was withdrawn.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection of cataracts, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The decision is mixed as some issues are granted while others are not.

The Board granted service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spine disability, left knee injury, hypertension, and residuals of frostbite of the left great toe. The Veteran's other claims were also addressed.

The Veteran seeks a higher initial evaluation for his service-connected hypertension. The most recent VA examination was conducted more than five years ago and is therefore inadequate to assess the current level of severity. A new VA examination is required.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for independent living services under Chapter 31 of Title 38, U.S.C., due to his current service-connected conditions and lack of feasibility in achieving a vocational goal.

The Board is remanding the case to determine if the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during his service at U-Tapao Airbase in Thailand, and to obtain a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his heart disability.

The Board dismissed the motion for revision of a decision denying service connection for heart disability and hypertension due to herbicide exposure because there was no final decision to review on CUE grounds.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The claim for service connection for hypertension was denied.