Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2004

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is unrelated to any service-connected disability.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for left eye aphakia, hypertension, and service connection for right eye cataract, bilateral foot disability, and low back disability were denied. The RO also granted service connection for major depression with a 30 percent evaluation effective September 2, 1999.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral heel spurs and assigned a 10 percent disability rating for hypertension from April 2, 1993 through October 9, 1997.

The Board denied the appellant's application for DIC based on her daughter not meeting the criteria for being a helpless child due to permanent incapacity for self-support prior to age 18.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may it be presumed to have occurred during service. The evidence did not establish a relationship between the veteran's active duty and his high blood pressure diagnosis.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and ensuring compliance with VA regulations.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal for an initial evaluation in excess of 60 percent for diabetes mellitus type II, as he withdrew his appeal. The issue of service connection for arterial hypertension secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II is pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and procedural issues, including a need for VA examinations and development of claims.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further action, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and verifying stressors. The case will be returned to the Board after completion of these actions.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension was not incurred or aggravated during his periods of active military service, including ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA. The pre-existing condition was determined to have undergone no increase in severity during these periods.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension due to its aggravation during active military service. The other issues of entitlement to service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left hip, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and anxiety, finding no evidence of current conditions or a link to service. The claim for PTSD is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case back to the RO for further development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing. The veteran's appeal will be reconsidered after this additional evidence is processed.

The Board has determined that diabetes mellitus and hypertension were not incurred or aggravated during service, nor are they presumed to have been incurred within one year of discharge. The scar on the right third finger is also denied as it is not related to service.

The Board has decided that the issue of whether the veteran is entitled to service connection for hypertension should be remanded for further development.

The Board found that the veteran's hypothyroidism was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of his radiation therapy for larynx cancer in 1993, but denied compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 as it did not meet the criteria for negligence or carelessness on part of VA.

The veteran's service-connected valvular disorders do not meet the criteria for a higher rating as they are not related to his current cardiovascular dysfunction, which is attributed to other conditions.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for hypertension was granted, but his claim for an increased rating for post-operative residuals of craniotomy with seizure disorder was denied.

The Board finds that additional development is required to determine the current nature and etiology of the veteran's heart disease and hypertension, as well as their relationship to service. The case will be remanded for a VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, an increased rating for arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease with hypertension and congestive heart failure, a compensable rating for anxiety reaction, and a compensable evaluation for malaria. The evidence did not support secondary service connection for any of these conditions.