Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is assigned a 10 percent evaluation, the maximum authorized under Diagnostic Code 6260. The Board finds that there is no legal basis for an increased rating.

The Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service, may not be presumed to have been incurred in service, and is not secondary to service-connected PTSD and/or service-connected Type II diabetes mellitus on the basis of proximate cause or aggravation. As such, service connection for hypertension will be denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection or entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for PTSD, as his conditions were not incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not incur hypertension or myocardial infarction during his active duty service and that these conditions are not otherwise attributable to service. Therefore, service connection for both conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, gout, sleep apnea, right hip bursitis, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder are remanded due to the need for further development regarding service connection.

The Veteran's hypertension is not related to active service or a service-connected disability, and the claim for service connection as due to diabetes mellitus is also denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded due to the inextricability between these issues. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder must be fully developed and adjudicated before any final determination can be made on the hypertension claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and denied his claim.

The Board is seeking clarification on whether the Veteran's hypertension is due to or caused by his service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease. The examiner must provide an opinion regarding both the direct relationship of hypertension to these conditions as well as any aggravation.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hypertension and finds that new evidence received since the April 2006 denial raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. The Veteran's hypertension is now considered secondary to his diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, sleep apnea, hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied. The Board found no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board found that there is no current disability of a bilateral knee disorder or hypertension, and thus denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's combined disability rating for his service-connected conditions is currently at 40 percent, effective January 1, 2005. The Board finds no error in the calculation and denies the claim for a higher combined rating.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension on both a direct and presumptive basis, finding no evidence of hypertension during or within one year after service. The Veteran's claim was not supported by competent medical evidence linking his current condition to service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection for hypertension and an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Board is dismissing these matters.

The Board has granted the appellant's claims for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and tinnitus, finding that these conditions were incurred during his military service. The other issues related to esophageal ulcer, duodenal condition, hypertension, dermatitis, bilateral hearing loss, and fatigue have been withdrawn by the appellant.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of low back disability and granted it. The claims for myopia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling new examinations to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the reduction in evaluation from 10% to 0% for hypertension effective April 1, 2004 was proper due to actual improvement and maintained control of blood pressure through diet. The Veteran's current evaluation of 10% is upheld as her systolic pressures have not reached 200 since November 3, 2006.