Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2001

The Board found that the veteran's cardiovascular disabilities, including atherosclerotic coronary vascular disease and hypertension, were not incurred in service or due to any event related to his military service. The Board concluded that these conditions developed independently of service.

The Board has granted a 20 percent disability evaluation for the veteran's service-connected hypertension, finding that it is predominantly manifested by diastolic pressure readings of 110. The previous rating of 10 percent was increased to reflect this change.

The Board granted the veteran's claim for service connection for an undiagnosed illness manifested by fatigue, but denied his claims for increased ratings for chronic sinusitis with headaches and hypertension.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to service-connected PTSD, with the veteran receiving a 30% rating for PTSD. The decision is based on medical opinions linking PTSD to hypertension.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected hypertension, asthma, and mechanical low back pain with degenerative disc disease L5/S1 and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity. The RO continued the current 20 percent evaluation for the low back disability.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it was incurred in service due to prehypertension symptoms observed during active duty.

The veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the August 1980 rating decision that reduced his hypertension disability rating from 10 percent to 0 percent.

The Board denied the reopening of the claim for service connection for chronic renal failure and hypertension, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, psychiatric disorders other than PTSD, bilateral knee and ankle disabilities, right ear disability, bilateral hip and shoulder disabilities. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and service.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's cervical spine osteophytes with radiculopathy and has assigned a 20% rating. The ratings for the right knee, left knee, hypertension, and low back condition are all in accordance with current regulations.

The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen her claim of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that the new evidence submitted was not sufficient to meet the criteria for reopening the claim.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension due to new and material evidence submitted since the December 1997 decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right eye disorder, identified as a residual corneal scar, was incurred during service. The right elbow disorder is not related to service and arthritis may not be presumed to have been incurred in service. Hypertension existed prior to entry into service and did not increase in severity during service.

The RO denied an increased evaluation for hypertension with associated headaches, currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the claim for additional development due to incomplete medical records and potential application of new regulations from the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for additional death pension benefits based on a need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound due to her inability to meet the criteria for such benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date of September 29, 1999, for his nonservice-connected disability pension benefits. The decision stated that there was no evidence showing the veteran had filed a claim prior to this date and that he did not have sufficient incapacity within one year from when he became permanently disabled to prevent him from filing a claim.

The Board has granted a 60 percent rating for postoperative residuals of a herniated nucleus pulposus with radiculopathy, the maximum available under VA's rating criteria.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability and denied claims for accrued benefits, DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 based on VA treatment, and hypothetical entitlement to DIC.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed disabilities were not incurred in service and denied his claims.