Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that a VA examination is necessary to determine if the veteran's current hypertension and kidney disorder are related to service. The RO must also obtain any relevant private treatment records from the 1980s.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound was denied as he does not meet the criteria for such benefits.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and epididymitis, finding that the evidence does not support a link to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to a lack of medical evidence showing a current diagnosis. The claims for service connection for hypertension and bronchial asthma are pending as there is no clear indication that these conditions had their onset in service.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to care for his daily needs without the regular aid and attendance of another person, or render him unable to protect himself from the hazards and dangers incident to his daily environment. Therefore, he is not entitled to special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, concluding that the disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not related to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension with heart disease and a psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions during or within one year after service.

The veteran's appeal involves multiple service connection claims for various conditions, including liver disorders, head/neck injuries, back and limb issues, rash on buttocks, hypertension, memory loss, insomnia, stress, joint and muscle pain, and right knee problems. The RO is instructed to obtain his complete service medical records and issue a statement of the case regarding the undiagnosed illness claims.

The veteran's claims for increased rating of anxiety disorder, service connection for hypertension and heart disability secondary to anxiety are remanded due to inadequate notification and examination.

The veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the appellant did not have a pending claim for VA benefits at the time of his death. Therefore, the claims for service connection for the cause of death, accrued benefits, and Dependents' Educational Assistance are denied.

The Board denied service connection for anxiety/depression, hypertension, spinal cord injury, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome as the evidence did not support a causal relationship to military service.

The RO denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension secondary to his service-connected pulmonary tuberculosis with lung resection and residual right pleurisy. The RO granted a 20% evaluation for his resolved pulmonary tuberculosis, effective August 15, 2002.

The Board has dismissed the veteran's appeals on these issues as he did not file a timely substantive appeal within one year of the March 1996 rating decision.

The veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, including secondary service connection due to a service-connected disability, was denied because he failed to report for the scheduled VA examination.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension did not originate in service or within one year of his retirement, and it is not otherwise attributable to his active military service.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The claims for increased evaluations of hypertension and hemorrhoids are no longer before the Board.

The Board finds that the veteran's coronary artery disease and hypertension were incurred in service, as evidenced by elevated blood pressure readings during active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and a respiratory disorder (manifested by exertional dyspnea) due to disease or injury incurred during the veteran's period of active military service. The claim for PTSD was also granted, with an initial rating of 50 percent effective from April 2000.

The Board denied service connection for a neurological disorder, an increased rating for hypertension, and a noncompensable initial rating for left ear hearing loss. The appeals were not about service connection at all.

The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at LRMC on November 3 and 4, 2003 were found to meet the criteria for payment or reimbursement under VA regulations. The condition was deemed emergent due to her known history of hypertension and diabetes, as well as severe symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness, and shortness of breath.