Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of hypertension was denied as the evidence did not establish a continuous pursuit within one year of the January 2020 rating decision, and because the PACT Act created the presumption for hypertension, the effective date provisions applicable to Nehmer class members do not apply.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for compensable disability ratings for Erectile Dysfunction, Prostate Cancer, and Hypertension due to his failure to report for VA examinations without providing good cause.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10% rating for hypertension and GERD was granted. The effective dates are November 1, 2019.

The Veteran's low back condition is granted service connection, and he is awarded a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD. His diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction and hypertension is granted service connection but denied an increased rating. The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy of the sciatic nerve and femoral nerve are each granted service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU on a schedular basis. However, his PTSD prevents him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has referred the claim to the Under Secretary for Benefits or the Director of Compensation and Pension Services for consideration of an extraschedular rating due to marked interference with employment.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted an initial rating of 50 percent. The Veteran's hypertension is denied a higher than 10 percent rating. The Veteran's hallux valgus, left foot and right foot are both granted compensable ratings.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's kidney disease is granted as secondary to his service-connected hypertension.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it is related to in-service herbicide exposure. The decision also acknowledges a change in classification of hypertension from 'limited or suggestive' evidence of an association to 'sufficient' evidence of an association by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

The Veteran's cause of death is remanded for further evaluation, including a medical opinion on the primary and contributory causes of his death. The Board finds that there may be a connection between the Veteran's hypertension and heart disease with service, but more evidence is needed to determine if these conditions caused or contributed to his death.

The Veteran's initial hypertension evaluation is denied, but he was granted a 100% evaluation for six months following his stroke and TDIU from September 21, 2022. The appeal is remanded for further evaluations.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, COPD, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis as the evidence did not establish a relationship to service.,Specifically, the Veteran's military records were silent on any diagnosis or treatment of these conditions. The private medical records from 2023 indicated diagnoses but did not relate them to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for Parkinson's disease, hypertension, and MDS. The appeals were based on direct causation rather than presumptive exposure to herbicides or other toxic exposures.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to a duty to assist error involving employment records from his former employers.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by ischemic heart disease, diastolic chronic heart failure, and essential hypertension. The issue of whether he was exposed to herbicide agents during service in Korea is remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for hypertension, finding that his blood pressure readings did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7101.

The Veteran's left great toe onychomycosis is rated at 10 percent disabling, while his hypertension is denied a higher rating. The appeal for service connection of the back condition and TDIU remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder is linked to his high blood pressure, which has been granted a disability rating of 10 percent.,The Veteran's right hand burn scars are painful and cover an area less than 929 square centimeters, qualifying for a 10 percent disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The decision is based on a private medical opinion that supports the relationship between PTSD and increased risk of hypertension.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and sleep apnea as secondary to her service-connected PTSD, lumbosacral strain, and left knee disabilities with obesity as an intermediate step. The case requires further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the inextricability of his service connection claims. The Board will consider all pending service connection claims before deciding on the TDIU.