Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2005

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, and denied his requests for increased evaluations for diabetes mellitus, clinical neuropathy of the lower extremities, and arterial hypertension.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left leg varicosities, right hip tendonitis, hematuria, and EKG ST changes. The veteran's hypertension and GERD are currently rated as noncompensably disabling.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have service connection for hepatitis C or hypertension, as both conditions are not related to his active military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty and could not be presumed due to exposure to herbicides used in Vietnam.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease with atrial fibrillation and amputation of the left thigh, have resulted in a level of incapacity consistent with loss of use of his right foot. The Board has determined that he is entitled to special monthly compensation based on loss of use of the right foot.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension with hypertensive retinopathy as secondary to the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, finding that the degree of aggravation is not easily ascertainable.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board did not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development of evidence, including verification of service dates and obtaining original service medical records. The veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and heart disease are pending.

The veteran is seeking service connection for hypertension, which he claims is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The Board has determined that further development is needed before a decision can be made.

The Board finds that the veteran's hypertension and tinnitus are service-connected, but his left ear hearing loss does not meet VA compensation criteria.

The Board has determined that the evidence does not support a finding that the veteran's hypertension is related to service or due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions were not proximately caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA in furnishing medical care. Therefore, his claim for benefits under Section 1151 was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and cardiovascular disease, finding that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active service and are not related to any service-connected disability.

The VA denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, concluding that no service-connected disability caused or contributed to his death.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for TDIU due to the lack of factual ascertainability that the veteran was unemployable prior to June 18, 1996.

The veteran died in October 2000 and had pending claims for service connection. His body was not unclaimed, nor did he die while hospitalized by VA. Therefore, the criteria for burial benefits were not met.

The RO denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bronchitis, hemorrhoids, and a cardiovascular disorder to include hypertension. The case is being remanded due to the veteran not reporting to his requested hearing.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not originate during or within one year after his military service and is not otherwise causally related to his military service.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and has also determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen his previously denied claim of service connection for heart disease. The Board found that the veteran's currently diagnosed heart disease was manifested within one year after his active military service, and thus is presumed to have resulted from service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new VA examination to determine if the veteran's heart disease with hypertension is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, Type II. The RO must also issue a Statement of the Case addressing the increased rating claim for DM II.