Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain relevant medical records and for further examination regarding his left foot burn scar, hypertension, and psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II has been withdrawn.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition is denied as the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of such disability.,Service connection for right foot condition is denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to military service.,The claim for increased rating for pterygium remains pending and requires further examination.

The appellant's service-connected disabilities, including myofascial pain syndrome of the lumbar spine, migraine headaches with syncopal episodes, left foot plantar fasciitis, hypertension, and right foot plantar fasciitis, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on these service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's cause of death was metastatic carcinoma of the colon, but hypertension is not considered a contributory cause. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a connection between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including low back disorder, GI disorder, anemia, left knee disorder, CVA, and prostate cancer. The appeals were based on direct service connection rather than presumptive exposure to herbicides or other agents.

The Veteran's hypertension has been evaluated as noncompensable since the effective date of service connection in April 30, 2002. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating at any point.

The Veteran has withdrawn their appeal of all issues listed on the title page, including those related to depression, tinnitus, degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine, DDD of the cervical spine, sleep apnea, atrial fibrillation with mild left ventricular hypertrophy, hypertension, right ear hearing loss, and residuals of fractured nose. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional service treatment records and readjudicating his claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including gastroparesis, PTSD, diabetes mellitus type II with tinea pedis, hypertension, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board granted TDIU based on the combined effects of his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of in-service treatment or a diagnosis within the presumptive period after discharge. The Board also found insufficient medical nexus to link current hypertension to military service.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability has been rated at 70 percent since September 12, 2016. The Veteran is found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board finds the preponderance of evidence against the Veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits, as his medical problems do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including arthritis of the lumbar spine, hips, shoulders, and knees, as well as hypertension, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology since service separation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to service, including exposure to herbicide agents or secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded seven issues related to the Veteran's renal cell carcinoma with microscopic hematuria, including secondary conditions such as hypertension, hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, incontinence, and adrenal adenoma. The remand requires a new opinion from an examiner regarding the etiology of the Veteran's renal cell carcinoma.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records, scheduling examinations, and providing VCAA notice.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss and hypertension, as well as whether his arthritis is related to service. The issues on appeal include a claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for hypertension secondary to diabetes mellitus, and service connection for a systemic arthritis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and aortic stenosis were denied as new and material evidence was not received. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, left carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), residuals of a left arm injury with history of cubital tunnel (left arm injury), degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, and tinea cruris were all service connected. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was rated at 20 percent.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for vision impairment, bilateral arm disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and hypertension as there was no evidence of onset or aggravation during periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).