Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The veteran withdrew his appeal in its entirety prior to the Board's decision.

The veteran's claimed conditions, including bilateral foot pain, right and left carpal tunnel syndrome, stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal reflux disease, erectile dysfunction, chronic sinusitis, lipomatous lesion of the left shoulder, benign prostatic hypertrophy, tinnitus, depressive disorder, and hypertension, have been evaluated. The veteran does not meet the criteria for a combined 100 percent schedular rating under the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. Therefore, his claim for permanent and total disability rating for VA non-service-connected pension purposes has been denied.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise, and thus service connection for hypertension is granted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations for nasal deviation and hypertension, finding that the evidence does not meet the criteria for higher ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to additional development being necessary, including obtaining records of private hospitalization for hypertension in 1979 and reviewing his file by a VA orthopedist.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for the cause of death, entitlement to accrued benefits, and eligibility for nonservice-connected VA pension due to lack of qualifying service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for left leg problems and cardiovascular disease due to additional evidence received after the issuance of the SOC.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that new and material evidence had not been presented.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and hypertension, finding that exposure to human body fluids during service in Vietnam is a likely risk factor for these conditions.

The veteran's hypertension was denied service connection as it did not manifest within one year of discharge. The right hip disability received a 10% rating, with no change in the effective date.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension is not causally related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus or PTSD, and thus denied the claim for secondary service connection.

The veteran seeks increased ratings for his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder and a new rating for his hypertension. The issues of service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are being remanded.,The veteran is seeking an increase in the evaluation for his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder, which currently results in a 70 percent disability rating effective from August 30, 2005. He also seeks service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as secondary to his PTSD and exposure to Agent Orange.,The veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder is currently rated at 70 percent disabling since August 30, 2005.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disability during or within one year after active duty service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and elevated cholesterol, finding that new and material evidence was not presented to reopen these claims. The claim for diabetes mellitus is also denied as there is no evidence showing it was incurred during active duty.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the veteran's disability rating for hypertension from 40 percent to 10 percent, effective July 1, 2005, was proper based on improved blood pressure readings.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss in the left ear, residuals of a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), and hypertension. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active service.,There was no medical evidence linking the veteran's current disabilities to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension did not start during his military service and denied his claim.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension and pancreatitis were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, nor could they be linked to herbicide exposure. The Board also determined that these conditions are not secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeal for all issues except the claim of entitlement to an increased rating for seborrheic keratosis of the face, arm, hands, and right ear.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected hypertension, finding that the objective medical evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.