Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2001

The veteran's pension benefits were reduced due to his receipt of Social Security disability benefits, effective June 1, 1996. The Board found that the reduction was proper based on the law and not disputed by evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hypertension began in service and is related to his labile hypertension during service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for hypertension is granted.

The veteran's combined disability rating is 60%, which does not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound.

The Board has determined that the veteran is statutorily barred from appealing the November 1995 and March 1996 rating decisions due to a failure to timely file a substantive appeal.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding no competent medical evidence to support a diagnosis of hypertension during or within one year after service.

The Board found that the veteran's chronic respiratory disorder, including emphysema and bronchitis, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The claim for hypertension is also denied.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his representative, and the case is dismissed as no justiciable case or controversy remains.

The RO denied the veteran's claims for a permanent and total rating for nonservice-connected pension benefits, as well as his claim for service connection for PTSD. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical evaluations and information.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, bronchial asthma, atypical chest pain, and a personality disorder. The decision is based on the lack of legal merit in these claims.

The Board denied reopening of claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding no evidence of a current disability related to abnormal blood tests or other conditions. The RO had already granted service connection for residuals of a fracture left elbow (chip fracture of the proximal portion of the olecranon process) and assigned a noncompensable evaluation.

The veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits was denied due to insufficient medical evidence and his failure to comply with VA's efforts to obtain the necessary evidence.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder and granted service connection for hypertension, finding that these conditions had their onset during service. Service connection for left knee disorder is not addressed as it was not part of the appeal.

The Board is unable to definitively determine whether the veteran's hypertension and myocardial infarction are directly related to his service-connected renal colic or if they were aggravated by it. The evidence suggests that both conditions existed prior to service, but there is also a suggestion of an aggravation due to the service-connected condition.

The veteran's disabilities, including arthritis in his right knee, tendonitis in his right ankle and foot, and hypertension, do not preclude him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. Therefore, he is not entitled to nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The veteran's hypertension, cerebrovascular accident residuals, and psychiatric disorder were not found to be related to his service-connected right ankle fracture. The disability rating for the right ankle fracture was maintained at 30 percent.

The veteran's claim for a permanent and total rating for pension purposes was denied due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA examination. The RO noted that the veteran had been advised of the consequences of failing to appear for the examination, but did not provide this information in detail.

The veteran's irritable bowel syndrome, essential hypertension, and left renal calculus are presumed to have been incurred during service. The right visual field defect as a postoperative residual of the right orbital cavernous hemangioma is assigned a 10 percent rating. A separate compensable rating for Horner's syndrome associated with the right orbital cavernous hemangioma is granted.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection and rating issues due to incomplete development of medical records and need for further examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder of the hands and hypertension, as well as his claim for an increased rating for sinus arrhythmia. The decision also addressed whether there was clear and unmistakable error in a prior April 1946 rating decision that assigned a noncompensable rating for sinus arrhythmia.