Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board found that the appellant does not require regular aid and attendance of another person or is housebound due to her disabilities, thus denying special monthly pension benefits.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a personal hearing before a Hearing Officer at the local RO. The increased evaluation claims for bilateral weak feet and hypertension will be reviewed after this additional development.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension as secondary to PTSD, and has reopened his claims for service connection for a cardiac disorder and a foot disorder. The evidence submitted since the previous decisions is found to be new and material.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension as his claims were not well-grounded.

The veteran's hypertension disability is not rated higher than 10 percent. The claims for service connection for fatigue and weakness due to undiagnosed illness, and for a rash disorder are denied as they do not meet the criteria for an undiagnosed illness under VA regulations.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to PTSD and increased the evaluation of PTSD from 10% to 50%, effective September 18, 1998.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a chronic digestive system disorder, neck injuries, lumbar disc disease, and chronic right and left ankle disorders due to lack of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his period of active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension is not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service. The claim was denied.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for arteriosclerotic heart disease with hypertension and status post bypass surgery, finding the veteran's condition did not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Board found that the claim of service connection for hypertension as secondary to PTSD is not well grounded and denied it.

The Board denied service connection for cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, angina and a myocardial infarction in January 1996. The veteran's claim was reopened on August 6, 1996, based on new evidence, and he was granted service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease with myocardial infarction, angina and hypertension from that date. The Board found no legal entitlement to an earlier effective date.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluation ratings, finding no medical evidence linking his current conditions to service or any other well-grounded basis. The veteran was granted a 20 percent evaluation for residuals of multiple right ankle sprains and left ankle sprain.

The Board found no competent evidence of hypertension during service or within one year post-service, and denied the claim for service connection based on exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board found that the June 1981 rating decision, which granted service connection for hypertension and assigned a noncompensable evaluation, was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous. The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected hypertension is denied.

The Board has determined that the appellant is so nearly helpless as to need regular aid and attendance of another person, warranting increased dependency and indemnity compensation benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a kidney disorder and kidney stones, hypertension, and minimal degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine due to lack of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his period of active service.

The Board found no evidence of a well-grounded claim for service connection for hypertension, as the veteran's pre-existing condition existed prior to his period of active service and there was no competent medical evidence demonstrating an increase in disability during service or aggravation by a service-connected disorder.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well-grounded, as there was no competent medical evidence linking his current disabilities to service.

The veteran's post concussion syndrome with headaches, syncope and postural hypertension is currently rated at 80 percent. The Board finds that the current evaluation of 80 percent is appropriate given the frequency and nature of the syncopal episodes/ seizures.

The veteran's hypertension is rated at 10 percent, and the claim for a higher rating is denied.