Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed condition.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension. The case is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hypertension.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not incurred or aggravated in service. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a current diagnosis of prostate cancer.,VA examinations have been conducted to determine the etiology of the Veteran's back disorder, hypertension, colon cancer, and arthritis of multiple joints. Further examination is needed to provide an adequate medical opinion on these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and multiple orthopedic conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from December 11, 2015.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the Veteran's request for a videoconference hearing. The appeal is not about service connection at all, but rather about scheduling a hearing.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension was reopened and granted on the merits. The Board found that the current diagnosis of hypertension is not related to service-connected diabetes mellitus.,Service connection for ischemic heart disease has been established as a separate condition, with no presumption based on Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current lumbar spine disability that is related to his military service. The other conditions were also found to be unrelated to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. The claim for service connection for hypertension is therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development of records, including service treatment records and VA clinical records.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding that it is not related to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, and/or ischemic CAD. The Board also found no evidence of herbicide exposure as a basis for presumptive service connection.

The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from the VA examiner regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and his service-connected kidney disorder and diabetes mellitus. The issue of increased rating for diabetes mellitus remains pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran is not entitled to service connection for hypertension due to exposure to herbicides, as there is no evidence of a chronic disease during service or within the presumptive period. The claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and a need for further development. The Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension will be reconsidered.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disorder, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, and myocardial infarction, was not incurred or aggravated during service. The claim for TDIU is also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and hypertension, finding that there is not sufficient evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeals seeking to reopen claims for service connection for indigestion, asthma, and gall bladder disease have been withdrawn. The July 1999 rating decision is final as it denied service connection for left ankle disability, right ankle disability, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of legs, residuals of a left toe injury, indigestion, PTSD, vascular disease of the left leg, hypertension, and IBS due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were related to his military service. The Veteran's appeals have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received for any of these claims.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and gastric ulcers were denied as there is no evidence of such conditions during or after active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity cold injury residuals. However, new and material evidence was not received within one year of its issuance, making the November 2009 rating decision final. The Veteran's claims for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder are also addressed on remand.