Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2016

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a new VA opinion on the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to work.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertension is currently rated at 10 percent, and the evidence does not support a higher rating as his blood pressure readings have consistently been below the threshold for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's hypertension and bilateral hearing loss, as well as to schedule an appropriate VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional information regarding his exposure to herbicides and to determine the relationship between his claimed conditions and service.

The Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and is not due to herbicide exposure. Service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current hypertension is not caused or aggravated by his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange, and it is not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. Therefore, service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting a social and industrial survey to determine if his service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension and heart disability were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and denied both claims.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and a lung disability, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability related to his in-service exposure to asbestos. The VA examiners concluded there was no evidence of chronic lung disease prior to retirement from active duty.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current cardiovascular disorders, including HTN, MI, atrial fibrillation, angina, right branch bundle block, systolic ejection murmur, and CAD, are not related to his active service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, residuals of a stroke, and hypertension. The remaining issues have been withdrawn by the appellant.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been found to preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and he is granted a TDIU effective September 5, 2007.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, retinopathy, hypertension, edema of the legs and feet, renal failure, neuropathy of the lower extremities, and neuropathy of the upper extremities have all been denied. The appeals are based on secondary service connection claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his heart and hypertension conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and his in-service herbicide exposure. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated after this development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to service and is denied. The right foot/ankle disability claim was remanded, but an addendum opinion from the May 2013 examiner is needed.

The Veteran died in March 2012 due to congestive heart failure with other significant conditions contributing to death being hypertension and diabetes. The appellant seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, but the earliest possible effective date is fixed as the first day of the month in which the veteran's death occurred (March 1, 2012).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for pulmonary tuberculosis and hypertension, as well as the special monthly compensation awards based on loss of use of a creative organ and system, were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of current disabilities related to these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not related to a service-connected disability. The claim for erectile dysfunction secondary to hypertension and/or PTSD is addressed separately.

The Board has determined that there is no probative evidence to establish service connection for hypertension, and thus the claim must be denied.