Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding that it is not related to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, and/or ischemic CAD. The Board also found no evidence of herbicide exposure as a basis for presumptive service connection.

The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from the VA examiner regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and his service-connected kidney disorder and diabetes mellitus. The issue of increased rating for diabetes mellitus remains pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran is not entitled to service connection for hypertension due to exposure to herbicides, as there is no evidence of a chronic disease during service or within the presumptive period. The claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and a need for further development. The Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension will be reconsidered.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disorder, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, and myocardial infarction, was not incurred or aggravated during service. The claim for TDIU is also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and hypertension, finding that there is not sufficient evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeals seeking to reopen claims for service connection for indigestion, asthma, and gall bladder disease have been withdrawn. The July 1999 rating decision is final as it denied service connection for left ankle disability, right ankle disability, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of legs, residuals of a left toe injury, indigestion, PTSD, vascular disease of the left leg, hypertension, and IBS due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were related to his military service. The Veteran's appeals have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received for any of these claims.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and gastric ulcers were denied as there is no evidence of such conditions during or after active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity cold injury residuals. However, new and material evidence was not received within one year of its issuance, making the November 2009 rating decision final. The Veteran's claims for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder are also addressed on remand.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea, finding that there is no evidence of these conditions during his military service or within one year after discharge. The Board also found that diabetes mellitus did not cause or aggravate either condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of her hypertension, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus, and low back disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not manifest during service or within one year of discharge, and there is no evidence linking it to his service-connected PTSD. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for hypertension.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in relative equipoise regarding a finding that current hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression, dysthymic disorder, and panic disorder) were caused or aggravated by service-connected diabetes. As such, the claims are granted.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for mechanical low back pain with facet arthropathy at L5-S1 was denied, but the Board granted a higher 40 percent rating effective October 18, 2012. The TDIU issue is also granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied as the evidence did not establish a link between his current conditions and active service or secondary to service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension due to aggravation by service-connected disabilities, specifically respiratory and orthopedic conditions. The issue of an initial disability evaluation in excess of 30 percent for reactive airway disease is held in abeyance.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, sleep apnea, and acid reflux. The case is being remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine whether his conditions began in or are related to service, and provide a complete rationale for any opinions given.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a new VA examination for his hepatitis C and hypertension, as well as to obtain a nexus opinion regarding the relationship between his hypertension and service-connected PTSD. The case will be returned to the Board for further action.