Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to PTSD and a compensable rating of 10% for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's bilateral hip disorder is also found to be secondary to his tinea pedis, status-post immersion foot.

The Board found that the appellant's cellulitis, right ear hearing loss, and hypertension were not incurred in or related to his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected PTSD and has been made worse by it, thus granting service connection for hypertension on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's left eye corneal scar was granted service connection. The issues of hypertension, bilateral leg disability and tinnitus have been withdrawn from appeal. The Veteran's eczema claim has been granted with an initial rating greater than 30% since September 22, 2009. The issue of a bilateral eye disability other than the left corneal scar remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is well controlled by medication and does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. The current 10% rating remains appropriate.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hypertension had its initial onset during his period of active service, and therefore grants service connection for hypertension on a direct basis.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension is not service-connected and denied his claim. For PTSD, the Board also denied an increased rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred or aggravated during his active duty service from 1961 to 1964, and there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology. The claim for service connection for hypertension is therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate examinations and failure to address other potential bases for granting service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is etiologically due to his diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy, warranting service connection. The arthritis of the feet and ankles did not have its onset in service or within one year of discharge and is not shown to be etiologically related to service-connected disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of hypertension did not have its onset during service or within one year after separation, and there was no evidence linking it to his service-connected PTSD. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's hypertension is more likely a common condition rather than caused by or aggravated by active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, bilateral foot disorder (pes planus), and bilateral knee disorders have been denied. His hypertension has been granted a compensable rating of 40%. The issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is not found in the decision.

The Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral pes planus, and low back disorder are found to be related to service. However, the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral shin splints or hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease due to Agent Orange exposure and lower extremity peripheral artery disorder are denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding private treatment records and a need for further examination regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disability and granted service connection for bronchitis. The claims of service connection for bronchiectasis, GERD, hypertension, bilateral eye disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, right hip disorder, erectile dysfunction, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board has determined that hypertension is due to the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not manifest in service and did not meet the criteria for a 10% disability rating within one year of separation. The examiner concluded that there was no evidence to support a relationship between the Veteran's current hypertension and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, right knee disability, and an increased evaluation for left knee tendonitis. The Veteran does not have a diagnosed disease of the right knee or current evidence supporting her claim for service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and tinnitus, do not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to April 5, 2013.