Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board has granted a 40% rating for the Veteran's lumbar strain with IVDS effective June 24, 2009. The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right leg is also service connected as secondary to his low back disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing records and unverified service information.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current heart disability, specifically tachycardia, is related to his military service. The Veteran was not granted service connection for hypertension or carpal tunnel syndrome (claimed as pinched nerve), radiculopathy, loss of strength, residuals of fracture, right fourth and fifth metacarpals, residual surgical scar, right hand, or TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of the conditions, including right hand scars, left hip scar, chin scar, and knee conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, but denied the remaining claims. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability and right knee disability are not found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's hypertension and headaches have been rated based on their severity, with a 10% rating for hypertension and a 50% rating for headaches. Both conditions meet the criteria under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is presumed to be service-connected due to herbicide exposure. The issue of hypertension, including as due to herbicide exposure and diabetes mellitus, remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, neck disability and increased evaluation for residuals of left ankle sprain are being reopened. The issues have been remanded to ensure proper development.

The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's hypertension is related to service or any incident therein, and it is more likely due to his pre-existing diabetes.

The Veteran's TIAs were first manifested on July 24, 2004. The Board has determined that the effective date for service connection of TIAs secondary to his service-connected hypertension should be set at this date.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, to include as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II and/or PTSD due to additional evidence received from the Veteran.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and cardiovascular disorder, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is 90%, which meets the minimum percentage requirements for a TDIU. However, he has been employed in a protected environment and currently earns income that exceeds the poverty threshold for one person. The evidence does not show that his service-connected conditions render him unemployable.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for CTS of the left upper extremity and hypertension, finding that these conditions are not caused or aggravated by his service-connected ischemic heart disease. The issues have been remanded to issue a Statement of the Case regarding hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for hypertension or psoriasis, and there was no evidence of PTSD, tinnitus, right lower extremity radiculopathy, or any other claimed conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes is presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service. The claims for hyperlipidemia, cataracts, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and hypertension are all granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and kidney problems are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the relationship of these conditions to his military service and herbicide exposure.

The Veteran was not diagnosed with a chronic bilateral shoulder/arm disability at any point during the appeal period.,A chronic bilateral hand disability was not manifest in active service, arthritis of the hands was not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of discharge from active duty, and any bilateral hand disability was not otherwise etiologically related to active service.