Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2004

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the introduction of new claims and potential CUE claims. The TDIU issue will be reviewed after any necessary development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension, but it is unclear whether this will result in a grant or denial of the original claim due to conflicting medical opinions.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for accrued benefits as there was no pending claim at the time of her husband's death, and the cause of his death (coronary artery disease) did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has ordered the RO to obtain VA treatment records from the veteran's visits in Augusta and Dublin between January 1995 and December 1996, schedule the veteran for an RO hearing, and then readjudicate the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for cardiovascular disease as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, which constitutes a full grant of the benefit sought on appeal. The claim for hypertension is still pending and will be remanded for further development.

The veteran seeks service connection for secondary conditions related to his PTSD, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, an aneurysm, and a left above-the-knee amputation. The Board has ordered additional development as the current evidence is insufficient to determine the etiology of the veteran's hypertension.

The veteran's combined nonservice-connected disability rating is 80%, which does not meet the threshold requirement for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Board has determined that the veteran's refractive error of the eye is not service-connected, and thus denied the claim for a bilateral eye disability. The claims for service connection for pancreatitis and hypertension are being remanded to obtain additional evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for waiver of recovery of an overpayment of nonservice-connected pension benefits, finding that the overpayment was not solely due to VA error and that the veteran acted in bad faith.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current psychiatric disability, residuals of frostbite, or hypertension incurred in service. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration due to incomplete evidence, including missing VA and private medical records.

The veteran's claims for service connection for depression and reopening of his claim for hypertension are being remanded to the RO for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining terminal hospital records and an opinion on whether the veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed to his death.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of heart bypass surgery, hypertension, and PTSD due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.,The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, hemorrhoids, and skin rash were also denied as a result of his failure to appear for the examinations.

The Board found that the veteran does not require daily personal health care services or daily skilled services, and thus is not in need of regular aid and attendance for special monthly pension purposes.

The Board found no evidence of a causal connection between the veteran's heart disorder and his military service, thus denying service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary and the case is being remanded to the RO for further action.

The veteran's multiple chronic conditions, not related to his service, require the regular aid and attendance of another person. His effective date for special monthly pension benefits is set at January 31, 2001.

The Board has determined that additional records are needed and the examination reports are inadequate for rating purposes. The veteran's claims of service connection for lung disease, hypertension, right hip disorder, and an increased rating for psoriatic arthritis must be remanded to obtain missing records and provide appropriate examinations.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection of hypertension. The veteran's previous claims were denied due to lack of evidence showing the condition began during active duty.