Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2008

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for depression and an acquired neurosis, as well as seventh cranial nerve paralysis (facial palsy). However, it denied reopening of the claims for narcolepsy, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension due to lack of new and material evidence. The veteran's claim for PTSD was also reopened.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left hearing loss, prostate cancer, and hypertension. The Board found that there was no current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss under VA criteria, and that prostate cancer did not have onset during service or be related to service. Hypertension was also not shown to have been incurred in service.

The veteran's hypertension, which requires continuous medication for control, has been granted an initial compensable evaluation of 10 percent.

The veteran's request for a computer and golf clubs under the Individual Independent Living Program was denied because they are not considered necessary to his independence in daily living.

The Board has determined that the veteran's pulmonary asbestosis is related to his military service, and hypertension was not present during or within one year after service.

The veteran died in May 2003 and was not receiving VA compensation or pension benefits at the time of death. The appeal is denied as there are no criteria met for payment of a nonservice-connected burial benefit.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for hypertension and congestive heart failure to obtain additional medical records, conduct further examinations, and determine if there is a link between his service-connected conditions and these disabilities.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized non-VA medical expenses incurred on September 4, 2005 was denied because the services were not rendered in a medical emergency and no VA facility was feasibly available.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and hypertension as secondary to service-connected DM. The low back disorder claim is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for adenocarcinoma of the prostate and essential hypertension, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for arthritis of both hands and hypertension, finding no current disability in either case. The Board also found that there was insufficient evidence to establish a relationship between the veteran's hypertension and his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The veteran seeks service connection for a heart disability and hypertension. The Board notes that the appeal is REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC), in Washington, DC.

The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death, adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, was not caused by his time in service and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The veteran died of lung cancer, with other significant conditions. The service-connected disabilities did not substantially or materially contribute to cause the death.

The Board has determined that the veteran needs his spouse to administer his daily medications due to his service-connected disabilities, particularly loss of vision. The veteran's spouse would not be able to do so without instructions from a pharmacist and/or physician, necessitating regular contact with them. Without this care, he would require hospitalization, nursing home care, or other residential institutional care.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death was not due to a disability incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor is it due to a disability that may be presumed to have been incurred therein. The appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sexual dysfunction, hypertension, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with large sliding hiatal hernia, finding that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, hypertension secondary to PTSD, and a back disability. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange during his active duty in Vietnam. The Board also found that the veteran did not have a current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus or hypertension within one year after separation from service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and hypertensive cardiovascular disease, finding that there was no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after his military service. The Board also found that any such conditions were not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.