Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to his service-connected coronary artery disease and therefore denied his claim for secondary service connection.

The Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease and right lower extremity radiculopathy are found to be aggravated by his service-connected left and right knee chondromalacia patellae. His hypertension is currently rated at 10% since June 13, 2008.

The Veteran's gout of the right ankle is service-connected, and he was granted a TDIU. However, his left shoulder disability remains at 20 percent disabling.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for hypertension and granted a 50 percent disability rating for his generalized anxiety disorder. The decision also found that payment of $16,027.97 in attorney fees to the Contesting Claimant was not valid due to improper signatures on the VA Form 21-22a.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, hypertension, rash of the face and scalp, erectile dysfunction, renal insufficiency, and sinus disorder are denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship to his active service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertension has not met the criteria for a compensable rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for headaches has been granted, with the highest available rating of 50 percent effective from July 2006. The remaining claims are being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to technical issues with the hearing transcript. He will be scheduled for a video conference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain medical records related to the Veteran's hypertension and left knee disorder. The appeal will be remanded for further consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disability, to include major depressive disorder with psychotic symptoms are being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing.

The Board denied service connection for DM and hypertension, finding no evidence of herbicide exposure or chronic conditions. The bilateral eye disability was also not found to be related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension is not etiologically related to herbicide exposure and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to service connection for hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for hypertension is being remanded due to the need for further VA examination and additional medical records.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating of 30 percent for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been granted. The Veteran is currently rated at 10 percent for PTSD, but the Board finds that a higher rating of 30 percent is warranted based on his symptoms and impairment.

The Board found no evidence of a current right or left knee disability that was initially manifested in service, within one year of separation from active duty, or caused by the Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability. The Veteran's hypertension was not shown to have been incurred during service and is not presumed due to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease, hypertension secondary to PTSD, aortic regurgitation, diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle, mild concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, mild enlargement of the right and left atria, thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm dissection (secondary to hypertension), and paraplegia associated with spinal cord ischemia (secondary to thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm dissection).

Your claim for service connection for hypertension has been granted. However, since the benefit sought on appeal has been fully granted, there is no longer a case or controversy to resolve.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease and hypertension were not incurred or aggravated during active service, nor are they related to any period of ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA. The Board finds that the conditions did not manifest within one year after discharge from active duty.