Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2006

The veteran is entitled to special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance due to his cognitive decline, physical disabilities, and inability to care for himself. The claim for service connection for schizophrenic reaction will be remanded for additional development.

The veteran is seeking service connection for hypertension and elevated cholesterol levels, which he claims are related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The case has been remanded due to the need to review additional evidence.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and his initial compensable rating for history of cardiomegaly with labile hypertension was also denied. The Board found no evidence linking the current conditions to military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied as new and material evidence was not presented, and the conditions did not develop due to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board found that the cause of death was not related to service-connected disability and denied the claim for DIC.

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death, multiple organ failure due to metastatic pancreatic cancer, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and could not be presumed to have been incurred or aggravated in service, including as secondary to herbicide exposure. The preponderance of evidence did not support a finding that the veteran's pancreatic cancer was related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for hepatitis-c and hypertension, finding that new evidence supports a link between his current conditions and service. However, further development is needed to address whether hypertension is secondary to hepatitis-c.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred therein. The evidence did not show a relationship between his hypertension and his service-connected diabetes.

The veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities claimed as due to an undiagnosed illness are denied. The Board found that the veteran's current cardiovascular disability of hypertension is not related to his military service, and other disabilities are attributed to known diagnoses or unrelated to service.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and heart disease, finding that the conditions are not related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest in service or within one year of separation from service and is not etiologically related to active service.

The veteran's hypertension was not service-connected, but his anxiety disorder with PTSD was granted a 10% evaluation prior to April 22, 2002. The current evaluation for the combined condition of anxiety disorder and PTSD remains denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, hypertension, and gastroenteritis. The claim to reopen a low back disorder was also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and hypertension secondary to PTSD due to incomplete development of evidence. The veteran will be provided additional notice letters, a VA psychiatric examination, and a VA cardiology examination as needed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher initial rating than 10 percent.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death and denied her DIC claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the former denial.

The veteran's disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person or by reason of being housebound.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, and thus denied his claim for secondary service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further examination and opinion regarding whether the veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus or arteriosclerotic heart disease, and if so, whether it is aggravated by these conditions.

The veteran's claims for increased hearing loss, service connection for psychiatric disability, hypertension, and low back disability are being remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence and examination.