Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's tinnitus has been assigned a 10 percent rating, the maximum authorized under Diagnostic Code 6260.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is rated as noncompensable (zero percent).,Service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension was not established due to lack of evidence showing onset during service or within one year post-service.,There is no indication that the Veteran has an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are not supported by the evidence of record and have been denied.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension as there was no evidence of a chronic disease in service or within the applicable presumptive period, and continuity of symptomatology is not established. The Veteran's hypertension was first diagnosed decades after separation from service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings, service connection, and special benefits are being remanded due to the need for further examinations and evaluations. The issues include diabetes mellitus, its associated peripheral neuropathies and vascular disease, liver cirrhosis or hepatitis C, hypertension secondary to diabetes, PTSD, and homebound status.

The Veteran's hypertension, heart condition (cardiomyopathy), and low back disability are all granted. The reduction of the low back disability rating from 40% to 10% is also granted. An initial increased rating for the low back disability is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a headache disorder, diagnosed as analgesic overuse rebound headaches, has been granted. The claims of increased disability ratings for bursitis of the left hip and hypertension with nephrolithiasis, as well as service connection for a right wrist disorder and sleep apnea have been remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for diabetes, Graves' disease, hypertension, sleep apnea, left knee arthritis, or reflux.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's knee disabilities and hypertension, as well as a need for an examination to confirm a psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's cause of death was attributed to multiple conditions, including cancer and sepsis. The Board found that the Veteran served during a period of war and thus met one criterion for entitlement to VA death pension benefits. However, his income exceeded the maximum annual pension rate, preventing him from receiving this benefit.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and quadriplegia from a back injury, preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board found that the September 2008 rating decision denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss is final, and no new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen this claim.

The Veteran's current depression is caused by his active duty service and he meets the criteria for a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's skin condition, specifically tinea versicolor, is rated at 60 percent. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise that his skin disability affects more than 40 percent of his body. Other issues related to heart conditions and hypertension are remanded.

The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis is denied as the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that it began during service or is related to an in-service injury.,Service connection for hypertension is denied because there is no evidence showing the condition began during service, and the one-year presumptive period has expired. The Veteran's claim based on ischemic heart disease as a pre-condition also fails.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is not granted service connection due to lack of in-service onset or relationship to herbicide exposure.,Service connection for ischemic heart disease (myocardial infarction) is denied because the Veteran does not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent under Diagnostic Code 7006.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates and increased evaluations have been dismissed.,The claim to reopen the right knee disorder has been granted, but service connection is not warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, but the issues of hypertension, anal/recal abscesses, and a skin disorder secondary to diabetes mellitus are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and back disorder are related to his active duty service, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of diabetes mellitus, type II and hypertension both began during his period of active duty service. As a result, the Board finds that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the issue of service connection for hypertension can be decided. The Veteran's claim will be returned to the agency of original jurisdiction for further action.

The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease with hiatal hernia is currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available under the applicable diagnostic code. The Veteran's hypertension and CFS claims have been reopened due to new evidence received since the last final denial.