Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2002

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of frostbite of the left ear and hypertension, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for residuals of frostbite. The hypertension was determined not to have been incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death was not incurred or aggravated during his military service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's heart disease and hypertension did not have a direct link to his service, and thus were not caused or contributed to by any service-connected disability. The claim for DIC based on the cause of death was denied.

The Board found that the veteran's left ureteropelvic junction obstruction with left renal insufficiency and right renal hypertrophy are not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus or its complications. The veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated as 40 percent disabling due to noncompensable complications of diabetic neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic nephropathy.

The veteran's service-connected status post failed kidney transplant with hypertension was increased to a 60 percent rating effective April 6, 1999. The claim for an earlier effective date of October 29, 1999 is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including arthritis, hypertension, a colon disorder, and a nervous stomach disorder, are not related to his active service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board has granted a higher rating of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected low back disability, effective from March 18, 1997. The appeal is denied on all other issues.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a left leg injury, including scars, and tinnitus. The Board finds that these conditions are etiologically related to his period of active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension does not warrant a compensable evaluation, as his blood pressure readings have remained below the threshold for a noncompensable rating.

The veteran's service-connected paranoid schizophrenia is granted a 100 percent rating. The claim for chronic disorders claimed as residual to Sarin nerve gas exposure is denied.

The veteran's service-connected peptic ulcer disease significantly contributed to his death due to acute myocardial infarction, as evidenced by the weight loss and malnutrition caused by the ulcer.

The Board denied service connection for tachycardia and increased ratings for residuals of peripheral nerve injury of the left arm and hypertension. The veteran's tachycardia was not found to be related to his service-connected hypertension, and the Board concluded that there is no evidence of an abnormal cardiac arrhythmia.

The Board has determined that the veteran's mechanical low back pain with degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 does not warrant a rating in excess of 40 percent, and his hypertension is rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that he did not develop the condition within one year of his separation from service and that there was no evidence linking it to a disease or injury in service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, epicondylitis of the right elbow, varicose veins, and dysthymia with insomnia. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and fatigue, finding that the veteran's conditions are due to disease incurred in service.

The veteran's disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound.

The Board denied service connection for liver cirrhosis with portal hypertension and hepatic encephalopathy, anemia, hypersplenism, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, diabetes mellitus, chloracne, and porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT), as the preponderance of evidence does not support a link to service or any service-connected condition.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by hospital care, or surgical or medical treatment furnished by VA. Therefore, DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151 were denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder as secondary to the veteran's service-connected psychophysiological cardiovascular reaction with hypertension. The claim for an increased rating for the service-connected condition remains pending.