Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including rotator cuff tear of the left shoulder, right shoulder disorder, left and right ankle disorders, left and right knee disorders, arteriosclerotic heart disease (ASHD), hypertension, and a neurological disorder (headaches) have all been denied. The Board found that none of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a low back disorder and has granted a disability rating of 50 percent for residuals of viral meningitis with headaches.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to address the Veteran's claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disorder, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD). The claim for bilateral pes planus was not addressed as it had already been previously denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for hypertension and right ankle fracture were denied as there was no evidence showing that his disability warranted a higher evaluation under the applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Veteran was granted a non-compensable evaluation for his hearing loss in the right ear, but his claim for an initial compensable rating for his hearing loss in the left ear remains denied.

The Veteran meets the requirements for special monthly pension at the housebound rate due to having a single disability rating of 70 percent and a combined nonservice-connected disability rating of 80 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ulcerative colitis is granted. The claims for tinnitus and the other conditions are denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling VA examinations. The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and erectile dysfunction are being reviewed, as is his claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to unclear dates of ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA and need for VA examinations.

The Board determined that the cause of the Veteran's death, coronary artery disease (CAD), was not caused by or a result of his service-connected PTSD. The Board found that while the Veteran had PTSD and hypertension, neither contributed substantially to his death.

The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's blood pressure readings did not consistently meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is denied as the earliest factually ascertainable date that he was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities was June 14, 2005.

The Board has granted service connection for Hodgkin's disease and found that the Veteran's current diagnosis is likely related to his period of active service. The issue of an increased disability rating for hypertension remains pending as it requires further examination and review.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including coronary artery disease, obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, congestive heart failure, lung disability, eye disability, peripheral neuropathy, lymphedema, erectile dysfunction, and sleep apnea. The evidence does not support a current diagnosis of any of these conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and any heart conditions or hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension began during his active military service and affords him the benefit of the doubt, thus granting service connection for hypertension.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current heart disorder other than hypertension, and thus service connection for a heart disorder is denied.

The service-connected anxiety disorder did not cause or contribute to the Veteran's death from acute myocardial infarction and hypertension.