Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran is not entitled to an effective date prior to April 14, 2004 for the grants of service connection and benefits.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected disabilities, effective June 30, 2005. The effective dates sought by the veteran were not granted as they are deemed factually ascertainable.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cluster headaches, hypertension, peptic ulcer disease (PUD), benign thymic cyst with hemorrhage, frostbite residuals, and anxiety. The conditions were not present in service or related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, finding that the veteran's condition is related to his active military service and supported by evidence of herbicide exposure in Korea during the Vietnam era.

The Board has granted a rating of 20 percent for the veteran's degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease, thoracolumbar spine, effective from June 2006. The veteran is also entitled to a compensable rating (10 percent) for his hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and/or more adequate reasons and bases.,Additional evidence is needed to determine whether the veteran's current eye condition was caused by any incident in service, including getting sand in his eye.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death while the case was pending before the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed disabilities (CVA, hypertension, and atherosclerosis) are not related to his service-connected PTSD. The evidence does not support a finding of secondary service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's hepatitis C is currently evaluated as noncompensably disabling, and his cirrhosis of the liver is currently rated at 10 percent. The issues have been granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have PTSD related to his military service and therefore denied this claim. The hypertension, bilateral feet disabilities, and right thumb disability are also being addressed as direct service connection claims.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension on a presumptive basis. The issue of whether there is new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for schizophrenia, undifferentiated type, remains pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a left knee disorder (claimed as gouty arthritis) based on lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that his schizophrenia did not cause or contribute to his heart conditions.

The VA determined that the appellant does not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for aid and attendance or being housebound due to her conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension is not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the veteran's service-connected hypertension and his death, as well as additional development of evidence related to the cause of death.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, including hypertension and coronary artery disease, finding no evidence of such disabilities during or within one year after service.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension is not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and thus denied the claim for service connection on a secondary basis.

The VA denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluation of diabetes mellitus and service connection for hypertension, right eye iritis, PTSD, and left wrist tendonitis. The VA found that diabetes mellitus alone warranted a 20% rating without requiring regulation of activities or hospitalizations.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and the need for a VA examination to assess the relationship between hypertension and the veteran's service or service-connected disabilities.