Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service treatment records and private treatment records. The appellant's status is unclear due to his claimed veteran status.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus was denied, and the effective date for this award is November 5, 2009.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was rated at 10 percent from October 10, 2007 to February 4, 2008. The rating was granted as the condition did not require insulin or oral hypoglycemic agent in addition to restricted diet.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule the Veteran for VA examinations. The effective date of his grant of service connection for PTSD is also being remanded.

The Veteran's hypertension and prostatitis have been granted service connection. The other issues remain pending.

The Veteran's claims for COPD, hypertension, and heart disease are being remanded due to the need to establish service connection as secondary to a psychiatric disorder. The claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder is also being considered.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (diabetes mellitus type 2, coronary artery disease, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity) prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on this evidence.

The Board finds that service connection for hypertension is granted as it is at least as likely as not related to his service-connected PTSD and diabetes mellitus. The skin disorder claim is denied as the evidence does not support a finding of a direct or secondary relationship with service or service-connected conditions.

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

The Veteran's PTSD was granted service connection based on a verified in-service stressor. Service connection for hypertension is denied as it is not presumed due to herbicide exposure and there is no evidence of record linking the condition to his military service or diabetes.

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

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and blurred vision (diabetic retinopathy) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for a chest injury and hyperlipidemia prior to the Board's decision.

The Board found new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims for hypertension, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and spine injury residuals. The claims were denied as they remained based on service connection criteria.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before a decision on the merits may be made regarding service connection for cause of the Veteran's death. The appeal will be remanded to the RO/AMC for additional actions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues of service connection for PTSD, hypertension, and residuals of cold injury to the upper and lower extremities due to incomplete or inadequate VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions are not shown to be related to active service or exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional VA medical records and a supplemental statement of the case.

The Board finds that the Veteran had in-service herbicide exposure, presumptively associated with type II diabetes mellitus. However, further medical examination is needed to determine if these conditions are linked to the claimed disabilities.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed before the claims can be adjudicated, including obtaining service personnel records and Social Security Administration records.