Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2016

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the issues of entitlement to a compensable rating for hypertension and entitlement to a compensable rating for right foot calcaneal spur.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal seeking a rating in excess of 50 percent for anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified (mixed anxiety depressive disorder).

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to report for a requested hearing, and he is given another opportunity to attend.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the Detroit RO for a Travel Board hearing. The issue of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, including as due to exposure to herbicides or service-connected disability, remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of sleep apnea and readjudication of his service connection claims.

The Veteran's hypertension with mild renal insufficiency has not met the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, hypertension, a heart disorder and retinopathy, all of which are secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations are inadequate and remands the claims for glaucoma and hypertension to obtain new VA examinations with supporting rationale.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension and granted it, as the evidence received since the last denial is new and material. The Veteran was diagnosed with hypertension within a year of his separation from active duty.,Service connection for kidney disease is also granted as secondary to the previously established service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran died from a ruptured abdominal aneurysm. The cause of death is being reviewed to determine if it was caused or contributed substantially by hypertension and ischemic heart disease, which the appellant claims were related to his service in Vietnam.

The VA examiner found that the Veteran's hypertension was not related to his service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and PTSD. The Board determined that there is no direct service connection for hypertension as it did not manifest during or within one year after service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's death was not caused by or a result of any service-connected disability, and thus service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not manifest during service or is otherwise related to his active duty, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder strain with arthritis, and left shoulder sprain with arthritis are related to service. The Board also found no evidence of a cardiovascular disability or hypertension with shortness of breath during service or within one year following discharge from service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension and kidney disability are not related to service, as there is no evidence of these conditions in service or within one year post-service. The Board also noted that the Veteran did not provide VA with medical records from the period between his discharge and 2005.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension did not have onset during active service, was not caused by active service; did not manifest within one year of separation from active service; and was not caused or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus. As a result, the claim for service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional information and medical examinations regarding his claims of service connection for various disabilities, including left foot disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left jaw disability, and hypertension.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to a withdrawal by the appellant's authorized representative prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of headaches, hypertension, and gout. The VA examiners found no chronic headache disability and opined that any headache symptoms were not related to active service or a service-connected condition.