Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination, including obtaining VA treatment records, personnel records from his Army Reserves and National Guard service, and a VA examination to address the nature and etiology of his heart disability and hypertension.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim for service connection for mitral valve prolapse and granted service connection for hypertension, COPD, and osteoporosis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of a heart disorder, hypertension, or other claimed conditions during service or within one year post-service. Service connection was not granted for any condition.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of prostate cancer have resulted in daytime voiding interval of three to four times per day, but renal dysfunction and urinary tract infections are not shown. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a higher rating for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as his combined rating is 60 percent and he has other non-service-connected disabilities that prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining worker's compensation records and clarifying the reasons for his disability retirement. A comprehensive VA examination with an occupational specialist/psychologist will be conducted to assess the Veteran's employability given his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that a higher initial rating for this disability is not warranted. The Veteran does not have any other conditions related to cold exposure, and his arthritis of the hands, knees, skin cancer, hypertension, and blood circulation disorder are not related to active service or cold exposure.

The Board is remanding the case to review the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death as an original claim, and to obtain additional medical records and personnel information. The appellant must provide any evidence she has to substantiate her claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's vascular hypertension is not related to his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease and systolic dysfunction with secondary cardiomyopathy, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of National Guard service periods and obtaining etiological opinions on hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), and any psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claims are currently pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a new medical opinion on the etiology of his hypertension and coronary artery disease, as well as an examination to determine the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor is it secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease with hypertension and angina, as well as his total knee replacement of the right knee, did not cause or contribute to his death. The Board finds that these conditions were not related to his death.

The Veteran's hypertension and hidradenitis suppurativa are rated at 10 percent each, resulting in a combined evaluation of 70 percent. The Board finds that the evidence does not support an award of TDIU due to service-connected disabilities as the symptoms claimed by the Veteran do not appear to be solely attributable to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertension is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating based on current medical evidence.

The Veteran's right thumb ulnar subluxation is rated at 10 percent, effective July 1, 2007. The other conditions are not addressed in the decision.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the claim for service connection for a left ankle disability. The Veteran's original claim of service connection was denied in April 2000, and no new or additional evidence received since then relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate this claim.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to noncompliance with the Board's directive regarding an opinion on whether his hypertension is caused or aggravated by PTSD. The case must be returned for further development and consideration.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, as well as his increased ratings for right ear hearing loss, residuals of right ankle injury, anxiety disorder, and TDIU.