Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II or peripheral neuropathy. The Board also found no evidence of Agent Orange exposure contributing to the development of hypertension.

The Veteran's hypertension and right hand CTS were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of such during his active duty. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA medical opinions regarding the etiology of his PTSD, hypertension, and sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA physician's opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected heart disabilities were a principal or contributory cause of his death.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board cannot proceed with the merits of this case as he is no longer alive.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not have its onset in active service or is otherwise related to active service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, a skin disability, a left knee disability, stable angina, prostate disability, heart disability other than stable angina (includes cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, and hypertensive heart disease), hypertension, and right knee disability. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents is established based on his service in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining translations of Spanish documents. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated based on the additional evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no current disabilities related to his malaria or any other conditions. The Veteran's inactive malaria was not found to meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's current hypertension disability is found to be proximately caused by his service-connected PTSD, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to determine its relationship to service and exposure to herbicides. The claim will be reconsidered after the additional development.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 20 percent since March 21, 2012. The claim for a higher rating prior to that date and after August 15, 2014, is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for further action. The issues related to his right shoulder, knee, and hypertension are being addressed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disability, specifically PTSD, and his hypertension is not service-connected. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis within one year of separation from active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip disability is not related to service and is not secondary to a service-connected condition. The Veteran's right shoulder, left knee, and right knee disabilities have been rated based on their current severity.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's hypertension has been service-connected since June 27, 2011 and assigned a noncompensable evaluation. The Board finds that the evidence does not show that his systolic blood pressure is predominantly 160 mm Hg or more throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hemorrhoids and hypertension are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety disorder), peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities, and hypertension, all related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal through his authorized representative.