Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that they are related to military exposure to acoustic trauma. Service connection for essential hypertension was denied as it did not have its onset during active duty or within one year of discharge.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for hypertension and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and vascular disorder are related to his period of active service, with aggravation beyond normal progression.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow for additional evidentiary development, including obtaining SSA records and providing a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD did not contribute substantially or materially to his death, as evidenced by VA examiners' opinions and medical records. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that service-connected conditions caused or contributed to the cause of death.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and PTSD, resulting in a denial.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, acid reflux, left and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for hypertension. Bilateral hearing loss is presumed to be related to active duty, while hypertension was not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for atherosclerotic coronary vascular disease status post myocardial infarction, hypertension, and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure on the basis of presumptive service connection due to chronic diseases manifesting within one year after discharge. The Veteran's current conditions are found to be proximately due or the result of his service-connected hypertension.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete information and evidence, including verification of a period of active duty following September 11, 2001. Further efforts are needed to obtain records related to his service, particularly regarding hearing loss and hypertension.

The Board found no competent evidence linking the cause of the Veteran's death to his service or any service-connected disability, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not manifest during service or within one year of discharge, and there was no evidence linking his current condition to service. The VA examiner opined that the hypertension is less likely than not caused by or aggravated by PTSD.

The Veteran's hypertension was not incurred or aggravated in service, and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service. The Board found the VA examiner's opinion regarding the lack of a nexus between diabetes mellitus and hypertension to be more probative.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted with a 100% rating effective January 23, 2007. Service connection was also established for hypertension and diabetes mellitus on the same date.

The Board denied service connection for both the Veteran's back injury and cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), and residuals of rheumatic heart disease. The decision is under review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension was incurred in service and is granted. However, there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or chronicity of hepatitis A for VA purposes.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder is denied as there is no competent evidence of current disability.,Service connection for arthritis of the joints (claimed as gout) is denied due to lack of medical evidence linking the condition to service or any other etiology.,Service connection for hypertension, to include as secondary to PTSD, is denied because there is no medical evidence showing a direct link between the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and his current hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran currently has a heart disability and whether it is related to his in-service syphilis infection. The issues of PTSD and gallbladder condition are referred to the RO.

The Veteran's essential hypertension has been consistently controlled with medication and his blood pressure readings have not met the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertension has been rated as 10 percent disabling since April 29, 2005.