Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred in service. The Board also determined that there is no evidence of compensable hypertension within one year of service separation and that the Veteran's hypertension was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions and assigned a 20% evaluation effective from April 4, 2005. The effective date is not earlier than this as it was received on that date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal due to the need for additional development of his claims, including obtaining treatment records and conducting VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if hypertension is caused or aggravated by service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD was granted in May 2011, which may constitute a complete grant of his depression claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and unit history reports. The Veteran's claim of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder will be adjudicated again after the development is completed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and consideration of both direct and secondary theories.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn as to his right knee disorder, left knee disorder, hearing loss, multiple arthralgias (joint pain), and carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, as it is insufficient to establish a medical nexus between the Veteran's hypertension and his cardio-pulmonary arrest.

The Board finds that the appellant has failed to present evidence showing that VA's care or treatment caused or contributed significantly to the Veteran's death. The medical records indicate multiple health issues, including COPD and coronary artery disease, which were treated by VA prior to his death.

The Veteran's hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea were not shown to be related to his period of active duty or service-connected bronchial asthma.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an eye examination to determine if his current eye disorders are related to his active service, including flash burns therein. The examiner should also address whether any diagnosed eye disorder is due to or aggravated by the service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's heart disease is presumed to be due to exposure to Agent Orange. The claims for hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and skin disease are being remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and glioblastoma, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or service-connected disabilities.,Specifically, the Board determined that hypertension did not manifest in service or until more than one year after discharge. The Agent Orange exposure theory for glioblastoma was also rejected.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and a VA examination to determine if it is related to his service or secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hypertension as secondary to service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus and remanded the case for a new VA examination to address both causation and aggravation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hypertension and therefore, service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral flat feet, hernia, dental trauma, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. The decision found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for bilateral flat feet, there was no evidence of a current hernia or residuals thereof related to military service, and the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection for any of the other conditions.

The Board has determined that the appellant's hypertension was incurred during a period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) in May 1993, and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, migraine headaches, and allergic rhinitis with a history of sinusitis were denied. The Board found no evidence of hypertension in service or within one year after separation from active duty. For migraine headaches, the criteria for a compensable rating were not met between February 1, 2005 and January 5, 2009, but from January 6, 2009, a 30% evaluation was granted. For allergic rhinitis with a history of sinusitis, a 10% evaluation was granted from February 1, 2005 to February 4, 2008, and no higher rating is warranted after that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II and grants service connection for this condition.