Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying her claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II was denied due to lack of diagnosis and evidence of etiology. The claim has been reopened, but the Board finds that there is no new and material evidence to support the claim. For hypertension, a 10 percent rating has been granted.

The Veteran died of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, with acute renal failure and hypertension as the underlying cause. The Board found no service connection for ischemic heart disease or any other conditions that could have caused the death.

The Veteran's hypertension and ischemic heart disease were not shown to be incurred or aggravated during his military service, including due to herbicide exposure. The Board found no evidence of Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to November 20, 2013 for the award of service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension have been denied as there was no formal or informal claim received before that date. The appropriate effective dates are set at November 20, 2013.

The Board denied the claim for accrued benefits as there is not an available monetary benefit for accrued benefits purposes due to the timing of filing the original claims.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to allow for additional development of his claims, including VA examinations and the acquisition of relevant medical records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including CLL, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, hypertension, headaches, GERD, lumbar spine disorder, shoulder disorders, hip disorders, leg disorders, and a psychiatric disorder are denied. The effective dates for the awards of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not established as prior to January 23, 2014.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claims for service connection for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and a low back disorder. The claim for service connection for a low back disorder is now substantiated as there is evidence of a current disability related to active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not service connected, as there is no evidence linking it to his military service or a service-connected disability. The cardiac arrhythmia was found to be at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected myocardial infarction.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including rectal disability, fatigue disorder, bleeding gums, hypertension, bilateral shoulder disorder, colonic polyps, ulcer, Lyme disease, diabetes mellitus, and a heart condition. The appeals are based on undiagnosed illness due to service in the Persian Gulf.

The Veteran's hypertension and skin disorder were not found to be related to his military service or service-connected conditions, leading to a denial of the claims.

The Board has determined that service connection for hypertension and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper extremities cannot be established as the Veteran does not have current diagnoses for these conditions.

The Veteran's annual income for pension purposes exceeded the applicable maximum annual pension rate (MAPR) for all years included in the appeal period, thus denying his claim of entitlement to non-service connected pension.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the issues of service connection for hypertension, sleep apnea, PTSD with major depressive disorder prior to May 24, 2012, and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine from October 14, 2014.

The Board denied reopening the claims of service connection for hypertension, bilateral knee disability, diabetes mellitus type II (DM II), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a back disability. The Veteran's lay statements regarding his Vietnam service were found to be not supported by the record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee strains and service-connected bilateral ankle sprains. The claim for secondary service connection for hypertension is therefore denied.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of hypertension originated in service. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU is remanded due to the grant of service connection.

The Veteran's tinnitus is etiologically attributable to his active service. The Board finds that the evidence of record supports a grant of service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's hypothyroidism has been rated at 100 percent disabling throughout the period on appeal, and his hypertension secondary to degenerative spondylosis of the lumbar spine and cervical spine is pending further development.