Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The veteran's diagnosed disabilities (hypertension and various skin disorders) do not permanently preclude him from engaging in all forms of substantially gainful employment consistent with his age, education, and work experience. The criteria for the award of a permanent and total disability rating for NSC pension benefits have not been met.

The Board has determined that the veteran's essential hypertension and hypertensive cardiomyopathy secondary to hypertension were incurred in service due to his pre-existing labile hypertension disorder, which was aggravated during service.

The veteran's conditions do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, to include hypertension, is being remanded due to the need for proper VCAA notice and an appropriate VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for post-concussion syndrome, an acquired psychiatric disorder (major depression), asthma, hypertension, and skin cancer. The Board found that there was no evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board found that the veteran's seizure disorder and hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has determined that the case must be remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and to schedule a VA examination for both hypertension and diabetic retinopathy.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and dismissed the appeal regarding residuals of a stroke, as the veteran withdrew his claim for this issue.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis and hypertension, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease that could be linked to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for GERD, hypertension, and schizophrenia are denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease, and no current disability. The conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and headaches, claiming as migraine due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board finds that the veteran is eligible for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Grady Memorial Hospital on January 10, 2005.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to squamous cell cancer of the neck and hypertension, as these conditions were not found to be related to his military service or a service-connected disability. The claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 was also denied because the veteran did not meet the criteria for receiving benefits based on a service-connected disability.

The Board has denied the appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of the cause of her husband's death due to hypertension, as the criteria are not met. The effective date remains August 7, 2005.

The Board found no evidence of cardiovascular disease, degenerative joint disease, glaucoma or ulcerated stomach during the veteran's active service period from November 1954 to November 1956. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension and found that new evidence submitted since December 2003 raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. However, the Board denied the claim as there is no evidence showing that hypertension was present in service or within one year after service.

The Board finds that the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU benefits cannot be granted as his informal claim was considered abandoned due to failure to provide requested evidence within one year of request. The benefit-of-the-doubt rule is not applicable.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the veteran's hypertension is being aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cardiovascular disease, including coronary artery disease, hypertension and atrial fibrillation, was aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. The veteran is also entitled to a 50 percent evaluation for his PTSD.