Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran's DM was rated appropriately, but his PTSD warranted a higher rating from May 14, 2008.

The Board has granted service connection for atrioventricular block with a rating of 10% and effective date of November 19, 2007. The claim for dementia was reopened based on new evidence relating to the unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim (secondary to PTSD). Service connection for hypertension and hyperlipidemia were denied as these are not disabilities. An earlier effective date of October 31, 1996, for service connection for atrioventricular block was granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded to the RO for additional development.

The Veteran's hypertension is not service-connected and was denied. The Veteran's stress incontinence, which requires the use of absorbent materials more than four times per day, has been granted a 60 percent initial evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining updated treatment records. The claims will be reconsidered after these actions are completed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure in Korea and insufficient medical nexus to establish a link between current conditions and service.

The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II or hypertension due to lack of evidence of a current disability and no link to service, including exposure to herbicides. The claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for scheduling a personal hearing at the RO. The AOJ should take appropriate steps in accordance with the Veteran's request and return the claims file for further consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for right elbow (ulnar nerve) disability, hypertension, and a liver disorder to include hepatitis. Service connection was denied for the remaining conditions.

The Board found no evidence of current disabilities related to pes planus, hypertension, or tinnitus. The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was insufficient medical evidence linking these conditions to her active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining recent VA treatment records and scheduling an appropriate VA examination of his hearing loss disability. The issues of increased ratings for diabetes, hypertension, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are also being addressed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected diabetes mellitus with complications such as hypertension, macular edema, cataracts, and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus with hypertension has been rated at 20 percent since August 1, 2007.,Chronic diarrhea due to type II diabetes mellitus is rated separately and assigned a 10 percent rating.,Gastroesophageal reflux disease with dyspepsia and gastroparesis was initially rated as noncompensable prior to June 22, 2011. A separate 30 percent rating has been granted since that date.,The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease with dyspepsia and gastroparesis is not entitled to a higher rating from June 22, 2011.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and arranging for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension and its relationship to his diabetes mellitus.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current right knee osteoarthritis, hypertension, cervical and lumbar spine arthritis, degenerative disc disease, and stenosis are related to service exposure to herbicides. The claims for service connection are granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, to include as secondary to PTSD, was granted by the RO in a November 2013 Rating Decision.

The Board has not addressed whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for service connection for hypertension. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy have been granted, but his petition to reopen a claim for service connection for hypertension remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was granted effective October 17, 2012. The effective date is based on the most recent VA examination conducted on that day.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, hypertension, eye disability, and blood clots as they are not related to active service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to be service-connected, as there is evidence of elevated blood pressure readings in service and the current disability. The glaucoma claim remains pending.,The Veteran's chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis with headaches are rated under Diagnostic Code 6522, which considers polyps and nasal obstruction.