Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD with associated depression. The Veteran's PTSD with associated depression is awarded an initial rating of 70 percent, effective from the date of the grant of service connection.

The Board denied reopening the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and right nephrectomy due to cancer, as new and material evidence was not submitted. The claim for rhinitis and chronic vertigo is being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including new VA examinations and consideration of the evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left orchiectomy (left testicle injury), prostate disorder, bladder disorder, heart disease, and hypertension have been denied. The VA examiner found no evidence of a current disability related to these conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may it be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Veteran's hypertension is not shown to be related to service, and the Board finds that it did not manifest within one year of separation from service. The claim for service connection based on herbicide exposure is also denied.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension and vision loss, both secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II (DM), are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for condyloma accuminata and erectile dysfunction was denied. The Board found no evidence of penile deformity in the case of erectile dysfunction, which precludes a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.,Service connection for hypertension was also denied as there is no evidence of chronic disease during service or within one year after separation from service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death was not due to a service-connected disability, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not manifest during his active service or within one year of separation, and was not related to any period of Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA) or Inactive Duty for Training (INACDUTRA). As such, the claim for service connection for a heart condition, specifically hypertension, is denied.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder, low back disorder, and associated upper and lower extremity radiculopathy are service-connected.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and neuropsychological disorder) is service-connected.,The Veteran's sleep disorder, fibromyalgia, multiple joint and muscle pain, hemorrhoids, recurrent headaches, cardiovascular disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, respiratory disorder, and left eye injury are not service-connected.

The Veteran's PTSD warrants a 70 percent rating, but no higher. The Board finds the Veteran entitled to at least a 70 percent rating for his PTSD.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's hypertension is etiologically related to his service-connected PTSD. As a result, the claim for service connection for hypertension secondary to PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and hypertension are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a personal assault letter. A VA examination will be conducted to determine the etiology of his acquired psychiatric disorders and hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected migraines have been rated at the maximum schedular rating of 50 percent, and there is no evidence to support a higher evaluation based on extra-schedular criteria.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied for lung disorder, liver disorder, tendonitis, bilateral hearing loss, and diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction. The Veteran's PTSD claim was granted.

The Board found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims for hepatitis C, acquired psychiatric disorder, eye condition, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, and degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder. The Veteran's claims were denied as there was no evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions regarding his hypertension, coronary artery disease, Barrett's metaplasia, and lung condition.

The Veteran seeks service connection for hypertension. The RO denied this claim, finding that the hypertension was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. However, the VA examiner's opinion did not address whether the hypertension is related to presumed in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain an adequate VA examination and additional development regarding his claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, as well as TDIU.