Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2002

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hiatal hernia and remanded it to the RO for additional development. The claims for major depression, hypertension, gastrointestinal disorder, headaches, memory loss, brain hemorrhage, fatigue, and body muscle pain are all pending.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The Board finds that the veteran's hypertension is likely due to disease or injury incurred in service, granting his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes mellitus were not incurred or aggravated during his active service or a period of active duty for training. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the evidence submitted subsequent to the October 1980 decision, which denied service connection for hypertension, is not new and material. Therefore, the claim of reopening the previously denied hypertension service connection issue is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not begin during or as a result of his military service.

The RO denied the veteran's claims of service connection for headaches, hypertension, and a back disorder in October 1987 and June 1990. The decisions are final as to these issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected hypertension does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent from December 16, 1999, and in excess of 20 percent from April 27, 2000.

The veteran's hypertensive cardiovascular disease with hypertension is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under either the old or new VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension and low back disability were not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Board denied a claim for an increased disability rating for arteriosclerotic heart disease and hypertension, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating prior to December 22, 1999.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cardiovascular conditions of coronary artery disease, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation as secondary to his service-connected residuals of a fracture of the left femur. The TDIU rating claim was also denied.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his hypertension, finding that it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable schedular criteria.

The VA determined that the veteran's disabilities do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated during his period of active service and is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected tropical sprue.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 31, 1997 for the award of nonservice-connected pension benefits due to a reopened claim received on that date.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected PTSD did not substantially or materially contribute to his death. The cause of death was determined to be nosocomial pneumonia, which began many years after service and was not caused by or incident to his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for an aortic aneurysm and hypertension, as well as his claim for a higher evaluation for PTSD. The appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and ensure compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The Board has determined that the appellant meets the criteria for special monthly pension based on her need for regular aid and assistance due to multiple physical and mental disabilities.