Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2004

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for heart disorders, including mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation, as secondary to his service-connected malaria. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is pending.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, COPD, and diabetes mellitus to the RO for further consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, hypertension (secondary to diabetes mellitus), arthritis of the right hand, arthritis of the left hand, and disabilities of the wrists and shoulders. The decision also addressed claims for a disability of the left elbow but found no evidence supporting this claim.

The veteran's death was caused by malignant neoplasm, bronchogenic. Hypertension and renal failure significantly contributed to his death. The service-connected anxiety reaction did not play a significant role in causing or accelerating the death.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to address his claims of service connection for hypertension, a bilateral foot disorder, and a bilateral ankle disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, finding that the veteran's current diagnosis is related to his in-service diagnosis of borderline hypertension. Service connection was not granted for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, back injury, urinary tract infection, and skin disorder as due to an undiagnosed illness. The claims were reopened based on new evidence but ultimately denied.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for hypertension and assigned a non-compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The initial (compensable) rating for tinea pedis remains unchanged.

The Board granted the veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus with a 10% disability rating, and later increased it to 20%. The issue of an increased PTSD rating is no longer pending as the veteran limited his appeal to this specific issue.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and evaluation of the veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and providing a psychiatric examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric conditions. The low back disorder claim is also being evaluated under both old and new VA regulations.

The VA determined that the appellant is not in need of regular aid and attendance or housebound status, as her conditions do not necessitate such assistance.

The veteran was granted TDIU effective from August 24, 1993. The RO moved the effective date back to July 10, 2002.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's service-connected neurological residuals of a GSW to his right buttock, maintaining the current 40 percent rating. The claim for hypertension was not perfected for appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for additional examinations. The appellant's claims for service connection for hypertension, left ankle disability, and entitlement to TDIU are pending.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim that his hypertension was related to his military service or any other condition.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and jaundice, finding that there was no evidence of these conditions during active service or within the first post-service year. The veteran's current diagnoses were not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a cardiovascular examination and consideration of whether separate ratings are warranted for hypertensive heart disease and hypertension. The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected cardiovascular disability is also being considered.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and heart disorders. The RO previously denied these claims in June 1994 without providing VCAA notice.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for blindness of the left eye and granted it. The other issues on appeal are pending.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's hypertension, including whether it is related to service or secondary to PTSD.