Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2003

The Board found that the veteran did not have service-connected disabilities and there was no evidence linking his death to any period of service, including presumed conditions due to exposure. The appellant's claims for dependency and indemnity compensation were denied.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's hypertension began during service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Board found that hypertension, to include on a direct and presumptive basis, and as the result of exposure to ultraviolet light in service, was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by or substantially contributed to by a disability incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service. The criteria for entitlement to Chapter 35 educational benefits have also not been met.

The Board has determined that the veteran's overpayment of VA pension benefits should be waived due to undue hardship resulting from his financial situation.

The VA has determined that the veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease warrant a 30 percent evaluation, which is the current rating for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension was not incurred or aggravated by service and denied his claim.

The appellant is not entitled to recognition as the veteran's surviving spouse for purposes of VA DIC benefits due to her remarriage.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not attributable to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and COPD, finding no evidence of hypertension during active service or within one year thereafter. The Board also found no medical nexus between the veteran's current hypertension and his military service.

The veteran is entitled to a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD with dysthymic disorder, reflecting the severity of his psychiatric symptoms.

The Board has determined that there is no clear and unmistakable error in the April 1983 rating decisions denying service connection for tinnitus, hearing loss, and hypertension.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not require regular aid and attendance of another person, based on her ability to dress, undress, bathe, feed herself without assistance, and care for the needs of nature. The preponderance of evidence shows she is able to take care of her daily living activities.

The veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is 60 percent, which does not meet the minimum requirements for consideration under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a). However, due to the veteran's unemployability by reason of service-connected disabilities, the case should be submitted to the Director of Compensation and Pension for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease are caused by his service-connected PTSD, granting the claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that his fatal colon cancer was not caused by any incident of service or by his established service-connected conditions.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to a lack of timely filing of a substantive appeal regarding the initial evaluation for hypertension.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, psychiatric disability (including post-traumatic stress disorder), and residuals of a cerebrovascular accident. The appeals were based on direct evidence rather than presumptions or secondary theories.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder with hypertension, finding that the veteran's atrial fibrillation and hypertension preexisted his third period of active military service and were not aggravated therein. The cardiovascular disorders including arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, valvular heart disease, congestive heart failure, and dilated cardiomyopathy are presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board found that the decedent's death was not caused or contributed to by any service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for cause of death.