Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2004

The Board found that rheumatoid arthritis was not incurred or aggravated during active duty, and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein. The veteran's service-connected condition did not cause his current rheumatoid arthritis.

The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death is not related to his service or to his service-connected anxiety disorder, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis, hypertension (due to lung disability), GERD, and residuals of pneumonia. The effective date is set at June 18, 1999, the day following the grant of a 100% rating for the veteran's lung disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran is not entitled to special monthly pension benefits based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his nonservice-connected disabilities, which do not meet the criteria outlined in VA regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, tobacco and/or nicotine dependence, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema, and a rating in excess of 30% for schizophrenia. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has found that additional development of evidence is required, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and service hospitalization records. The appeal will be remanded to the RO/AMC for further action.

The Board denied presumptive service connection for residuals of a cerebrovascular accident and cardiovascular disease, including heart disease.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or in-service occurrence or aggravation.

The Board found that the veteran does not have service-connected diabetes mellitus, glaucoma, or hypertension. The claims for these conditions are denied as they lack legal merit.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to VCAA compliance issues and seeking clarification on the corrections made to the veteran's death certificate.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a cardiovascular examination to determine if the veteran's current hypertension is related to his service-connected schizophrenia and a Statement of the Case on the sleep disorder claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus and secondary conditions due to exposure to chemicals during his service aboard the USS Granville S. Hall, finding no competent evidence linking these conditions to chemical exposure.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease, as these conditions are not found to be proximately due or the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development due to incomplete representation information and need for further medical evaluation.

The Board dismissed the veteran's claim of entitlement to a higher evaluation for his hypertension because he did not file a timely substantive appeal.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cerebrovascular accidents were secondarily related to his service-connected hypertension, and thus granted service connection for these conditions as secondary to hypertension. The cause of death was also found to be due to a service-connected disability.

The Board found no evidence of a right hip disability related to service, and denied the veteran's claims for residuals of a right hip injury, psychiatric disorder, hypertension, and chronic headache disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD and for service connection of hypertension with postoperative residuals of right hypertensive hemorrhage, claiming it as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated during active service and may not be presumed. The Board also found no evidence to support a finding of secondary service connection for his hypertension.

The Board found that VA facilities were geographically accessible and capable of providing the veteran's required care, thus denying his request for reinstatement of a fee basis outpatient medical care authorization card.