Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2017

The Board found that none of the Veteran's claimed conditions are related to his service as an ART in the Air Force Reserve, and thus denied all claims for service connection.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to be related to his in-service herbicide exposure.,Service connection for the Veteran's kidney cancer, gallbladder disorder, and pancreatic disorder are granted as these conditions are also considered to be due to his in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, but his other service-connected conditions do not significantly impact his employability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure. As such, the claim for service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and bilateral hearing loss are not related to his time in service, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's service connection claim for ischemic heart disease is pending. The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for PTSD prior to October 9, 2012 and denied any higher ratings thereafter.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a videoconference hearing. The Board will schedule the requested hearing at the RO.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension and bilateral leg disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted effective from October 16, 2013. Prior to this date, his service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's hypertension was not service-connected, and his residuals of right thigh shrapnel wound were rated at 10 percent since July 29, 2014. The claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further proceedings due to the need to obtain SSA records and associate VR&E records with the claims file. Additionally, a VA examination is required to assess the Veteran's functional impairment caused solely by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to his military service. The claims for service connection for gouty arthritis, cervical and lumbar spine disorders, and bilateral leg disorders are denied as secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining signed informed consent forms and a medical opinion regarding negligence in performing a thoracotomy and decortication procedure on the Veteran due to his morbid obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right eye disabilities, specifically right eye hypertension and cataracts, are not related to service or his service-connected left eye disability. The evidence does not support a finding of a connection between these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD caused or aggravated his hypertension, which substantially contributed to his death. The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection for hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, so the cases are dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected type II diabetes mellitus is found to aggravate his claimed arterial hypertension, allowing for service connection. The TDIU claim remains pending as the effective date of the grant of service connection has not been determined.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his exposure to herbicides and verification of his reported duties in Vietnam.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and left knee disability as the Veteran's conditions are not related to his active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates, finding that his service-connected conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings or earlier effective dates.