Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2017

The Veteran is seeking a TDIU based on his service-connected hypertensive heart disease and hypertension. The case has been remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and possibly an examination to assess the impact of these conditions on employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the evidence did not support a finding of in-service stressors or causal relationships to his current conditions. The initial compensable rating claim for bilateral hearing loss was also denied.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected PTSD and type 2 diabetes. He does not have ischemic heart disease or any other heart disorder, nor has he had right lower extremity or left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy at any point during the appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for a headache disability as secondary to PTSD, and remanded the remaining issues due to need for additional development.

The Veteran's claimed conditions are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that any current disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board found that hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by military service, may not be presumed to have been incurred therein, and is not proximately due to or aggravated by the service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for allergic rhinitis, a hand condition (bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome), and hypertension. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were related to the Veteran's military service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest in service or within one year of separation and was not caused by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for further examinations. The claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board has found the Veteran was exposed to herbicides. Therefore, his hypertension is presumed related to service and he is granted service connection for this condition. The lumbar and cervical sprains are also presumed related to service due to herbicide exposure. However, the Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for rectal cancer, IHD, or any other conditions.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 40 percent for hypertension (HTN) from August 25, 2014. The Veteran's service connection claims for chronic rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal polyps, a heart disorder, PTSD, anxiety disorder, and MDD have been denied. New and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and MDD) and for a respiratory disorder (including sleep apnea).

The Veteran's hypertension is proximately caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and therefore, the Board has determined that service connection for hypertension should be granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's ischemic cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis, and hypertension were not incurred in or caused by his service. The gap of nearly three decades between his service and these conditions makes it unlikely they are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and neck disabilities, as well as hypertension, were denied. The Board found no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service separation. Service connection was also not granted for PTSD or CAD due to lack of a nexus between the current conditions and service. For hypertension, the Veteran's condition did not have its onset in service, nor was it shown to be related to diabetes or PTSD. The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for coronary artery disease were denied as well.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to inadequate development of his diabetes mellitus and related complications, as well as the need for VA examinations regarding kidney/renal disorders. The effective dates for service connection for tinea pedis and peripheral neuropathy are also under consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have ischemic heart disease or hypertension, and there is no evidence of a service connection for these conditions. The claim is denied.

The Veteran's cardiovascular disease, including a heart disorder and hypertension, did not have onset in service or for many years thereafter, and is not related to service.

The Veteran has withdrawn all appeals regarding the issues of entitlement to service connection for an upper back condition, chest pain, and hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected hypertension, and thus denied both claims.