Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2004

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder and hypertension, finding no evidence of in-service onset or continuity of symptoms after discharge.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and denied an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied all service connection claims for the veteran's claimed disabilities, finding no evidence of such conditions during his military service and insufficient medical evidence to establish a nexus between any current diagnoses and his military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluation for hyperthyroidism with secondary hypothyroidism and service connection for obesity, hypertension, and type II diabetes mellitus, all claimed as secondary to his service-connected hyperthyroidism with secondary hypothyroidism.

The Board is remanding the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination to evaluate the veteran's cardiovascular conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that the veteran's service-connected arthritis did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The Board denied an increased rating for hypertension, currently evaluated at 10 percent, as there was no evidence that the veteran's diastolic pressure is predominantly 110 or more, or that his systolic pressure is predominantly 200 or more. The current evaluation of 10 percent adequately reflects the veteran's symptoms.

The Board has granted a 20 percent initial evaluation for service-connected hypertension from March 3, 1994. The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date is denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a positive tuberculin test and hypertension were denied. The claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for right knee strain residuals was not granted, but the claim for an initial compensable evaluation for left knee strain residuals was granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for service-connected hypertension and acne, as well as his application to reopen his previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD. The appeal was dismissed due to a lack of timely substantive appeal.

The Board denied service connection for headaches and increased rating for Hodgkin's disease. The claim of reopening the hypertension was granted, but the issue of reopening the myositis claim remains pending.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for hypertension and stroke residuals due to additional development of his medical records and a VA examination.

The Board has determined that hypertension began during active service and is therefore granted as a result of service connection.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and granted a 10 percent rating for his bilateral pes planus. The claim for prostatitis was denied, as there is no evidence of current prostatitis or that it was caused by service. No new rating was granted for the veteran's pes planus.

The Board has granted an effective date of June 7, 2000 for the assignment of a 10 percent evaluation for hypertension.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, epicondylitis, and high cholesterol. The veteran's hypertension was not shown to have originated in service or within one year of separation. Epicondylitis is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes. High cholesterol levels were found but no associated disability was established.

The Board has determined that the effective date for service connection and a 10% disability evaluation for hypertension is June 14, 2002.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for the cause of his death and for dependents' educational assistance under Chapter 35 of the United States Code.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for his service-connected hypertension, finding that he does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on his blood pressure readings.