Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for glaucoma and hypertension due to insufficient opinions regarding their etiology. The VA will need to obtain additional medical records, conduct further examinations, and provide updated opinions on whether these conditions are related to service or diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder is denied as there is no competent evidence linking the condition to his active service.,Service connection for hypertension is also denied because it did not manifest during or within one year after service and is unrelated to service. The Veteran was diagnosed with hypertension in November 2012, many years post-service.,The claim for kidney failure is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to the condition. Proteinuria alone does not constitute a compensable disability for VA purposes.,High cholesterol is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes and thus service connection cannot be granted.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is reopened due to new evidence submitted since the last denial in February 1975, but remains denied as there is no evidence of such condition during or related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, hypertension and kidney disease secondary to service-connected lumbar strain, tinnitus, left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The decision also remanded his claim for service connection for headaches.

The Veteran's claims for obesity, chest pain, hypertension, and hemorrhoids have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The Board has not determined whether these conditions are service-connected.,The Veteran argues that his current conditions are related to medications he takes for his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and cataracts for accrued purposes due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for service connection for tinnitus was not reopened as the submitted evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, hypertension, acid reflux, pain in the bilateral feet, pain in the bilateral legs, and a nerve disability have all been denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of these conditions during active service or within one year following discharge.,While some medical records suggested possible diagnoses, they were not sufficient to establish continuity of symptomatology or a nexus between the current disabilities and service.

The Board denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, GERD, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, bladder disability / urinary frequency, skin disability of the hands and feet, and diarrhea due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board denied service connection for non-ischemic cardiomyopathy and hypertension, finding that the conditions did not manifest during service or within a year of separation, and were not related to herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to his presumed exposure to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for hypertension due to exposure to herbicide agents and/or lead-based paint, as there are insufficient records and opinions regarding his service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to lack of new and material evidence. His claim for a compensable rating for folliculitis of scalp with cicatrical alopecia was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability is granted. The Veteran's DM is not entitled to a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to December 18, 2013, and not entitled to a rating in excess of 40 percent beginning December 18, 2013. The Veteran's diabetic nephropathy with hypertension is not entitled to a higher than 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is not found to be the cause of his obesity and resultant need for special home adaptations or SMC based on aid and attendance. The Board denied both claims due to insufficient evidence linking his obesity to his PTSD.

The Veteran's claims were initially adjudicated as non-service-connected pension benefits, but he clearly indicated his intention to pursue service connection. The Board finds a remand necessary for proper development and consideration of the service connection claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened, but the underlying claim remains denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and stomach condition have also been reopened, with the underlying claims remaining denied.

The Board has denied an increased rating for hypertension and remanded the issues of increased ratings for bilateral knee disabilities and entitlement to TDIU. The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 20% due to diastolic pressure predominantly 110 or more, but his most recent blood pressure readings do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for psychiatric disorders, hypertension, gastrointestinal disabilities, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence showing a direct relationship to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is granted as service-connected. The claims for unstable angina, hypertension, umbilical hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and chronic renal insufficiency are denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and hypertension due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset in service. The Veteran will need further medical opinions on these issues.

The Veteran's unauthorized ambulance transportation was granted reimbursement because the emergency treatment provided in a medical emergency of such nature that delay would have been hazardous to life or health, and VA facilities were not feasibly available.