Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2016

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development, specifically regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected diabetes aggravated his hypertension. The case is now pending for further examination and opinion.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings in several areas, including hearing loss, lumbosacral strain, psychiatric disability, hypertension, epicondylitis of the left elbow, and bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including hypertension and a heart disability, were not related to service. The evidence did not show cardiovascular injury or disease during service, nor continuous symptoms of hypertension or CAD since service separation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, scheduling a VA examination, and readjudicating the issue of service connection for a bilateral eye disability.

The Veteran's PTSD and hypertension are both granted service connection. The issue of hypertension is remanded for additional development.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss disability, right ear hearing loss disability, bilateral tinnitus, and hypertension. The appeals are resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues of service connection for hypertension and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen service connection for bilateral hearing loss are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including issuance of a statement of the case regarding the reduction in rating for hypertension and an addendum opinion on TDIU.

The Veteran's hypertension is caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II and has been granted as secondary to this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and bilateral hearing loss disability were not incurred or aggravated during his periods of active duty service, and thus cannot be granted service connection.

The Veteran's heart disease, specifically coronary artery disease and hypertension, has been evaluated at a 30 percent rating since the appeal period began. The current evidence does not support an increase in this rating.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction is rated at 20 percent, and the reduction of his diabetic retinopathy rating from 10% to noncompensable effective November 9, 2009 was proper. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is rated as 10%, and his diabetic nephropathy associated with diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction prior to January 28, 2015 is rated at 60%. His peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity and right lower extremity are each rated at 10%. The Veteran's hypertension is not separately service-connected.

The Veteran's hypertension is not related to or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction and early peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, nor is it related to service in any other way.

The Veteran seeks service connection for hypertension, which is not shown in service or within the initial post separation year. However, he argues that it is secondary to diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure and as a result of his service-connected disability. The Board finds that a VA medical opinion is necessary to decide this matter.

The Veteran was still gainfully employed prior to June 1, 2009 and thus is not entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability for that period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hypertension and basal cell carcinoma are not related to service, but his basal cell carcinoma is aggravated by service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest in or within a year of his first and second periods of active duty service, and is not related to either period.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not manifest in service or within the one year presumptive period, and current hypertension is unrelated to service. The VA examinations concluded that the Veteran's hypertension was not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be service-connected. Service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea are remanded due to insufficient evidence.