Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not caused by his military service, including exposure to herbicides. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran died from rectal adenocarcinoma with contributory causes of death including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and dementia. The cause of death is not service-connected as there is no evidence linking the cancer to his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if her service-connected disabilities prevent her from securing or maintaining all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a cardiovascular condition is remanded as additional medical examination and opinion are required.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period from May 10, 2011 is granted. The Board finds that his service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was incurred during active duty service and granted service connection for this condition. The other issues regarding hypertension and a psychiatric disorder are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was not exposed to herbicides during active duty service and therefore, his claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension are denied as they are not presumed due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for any of the claimed conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The evidence does not establish a current disability in these areas as defined by VA regulations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and arthritis of the hands are being remanded due to incomplete records, including missing military personnel records. The RO must attempt to locate these records and determine if the Veteran is eligible for Agent Orange Registry or Gulf War Registry examinations. If so, he should be scheduled for VA examinations to address his current diagnoses and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for hypertension is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's hypertension, which requires medication and is manifested by systolic blood pressure readings at or near 160 or more, meets the criteria for an initial 10 percent disability rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused or contributed to by his service-connected PTSD. The cause of death, sepsis due to a urinary tract infection, was not linked to any service-connected condition.

The claim for service connection for hypertension has not been reopened due to the lack of new and material evidence, but the claim for a low back disorder was reopened.,The Veteran's low back disorder is considered direct service connection as there is no evidence showing it occurred in or was caused by service.

The Veteran's hypertension and back disorder claims were granted, while his dental disorder claim was denied. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted (hypertension) and others not (dental disorder). Service connection for the dental condition was decided on the merits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's long history of hypertension, diagnosed during his active service, contributed to his development of atherosclerosis and cardiac arrhythmia, which caused his death. Service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Veteran's hypertension, back condition, and right leg condition are all found to be related to his honorable period of active duty service. The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings, initial compensable rating, and service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the hypertension and PTSD claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus and posttraumatic stress disorder. The claim is denied for an initial evaluation in excess of 40 percent for the service-connected low back condition, and TDIU prior to February 22, 2007.

The Veteran's claim to reopen a previously denied heart condition was denied as the submitted evidence was not new and material.