Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2001

The Board determined that the veteran did not submit new and material evidence to reopen his claim of service connection for hypertension, which had previously been denied in March 1985.

The Board found that the appellant does not have current hypertension or cardiovascular disease that is due to his service-connected psychiatric disorder.

The veteran's cause of death was attributed to terminal gastric cancer, which the VA determined was not caused by his service-connected hypertension. The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's death to any service-connected condition or exposure to herbicides.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not secondarily due or aggravated by his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension did not meet or approximate the criteria for a disability rating greater than 10 percent under either the old or new versions of Diagnostic Code 7101, and thus denied his claim.

The veteran was granted special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance, effective February 25, 1998. His diabetes mellitus with retinopathy disability rating was rated as totally disabling.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the veteran failing to file a timely Substantive Appeal regarding the August 1994 rating determination, and thus did not address the issues of effective dates for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to deficiencies in the February 2000 VA cardiology examination report and a need for additional development under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including skin rashes, allergic rhinitis, heat/cold intolerance, photophobia, and high blood pressure. The veteran's claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's claim for a TDIU was granted effective June 17, 1998. The Board also found that the veteran had hypertension and gout service-connected but did not grant service connection or increased evaluations for other conditions.

The Board has determined that the earliest effective date for a total rating based on individual unemployability is September 21, 1998. This decision was made after considering the facts found and the veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The veteran was granted special monthly pension benefits at the housebound rate for the period from March 1, 1998 through July 21, 1999 due to having hypertension and coronary artery disease rated as 100 percent disabling.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development and notification under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance of another person was denied. The Board found that he does not meet the criteria to be considered in need of regular aid and attendance due to his ability to perform daily activities independently.

The Board found that the veteran's cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service and could not be presumed to have been incurred due to exposure during service. The claim for service connection was therefore denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between his current heart disease and service-connected angina.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board has ordered additional development to determine if new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for schizophrenia, and to obtain VA outpatient treatment records from the appellant's period of active duty. The Board also requested a VA examination to determine whether the appellant has hypertension.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to equipment failure during a scheduled videoconference hearing. He will be given the opportunity to provide testimony before the Board.

The Board has granted service connection for gout, hypertension, and a heart disability as secondary to the veteran's service-connected anxiety reaction. The evidence supports that these conditions have been aggravated by his service-connected psychiatric disability.