Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the appellant's character of discharge is unclear and remands for further action to obtain relevant personnel records, including those related to his request for discharge upgrade.

The Board has denied service connection for various disabilities including hypertension, diarrhea, right knee disability, right leg disability, right foot disability, left foot disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, low back disability, and thoracic spine disability due to lack of current diagnoses.

The Veteran's hypertension and right eye disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service, and the VA examiner opined that the conditions are less likely than not caused by service.

The Veteran's SMC at the 'L' rate is based on his need for aid and attendance due to service-connected paranoid schizophrenia and bilateral upper extremity radiculitis. His remaining service-connected disabilities combine to more than 50 percent but less than 100 percent, qualifying him for a higher level of SMC 'P'.

The Veteran's hypertension has been granted service connection, but the initial rating assigned is noncompensable. The Board finds that a VA examination was not scheduled and rescheduling should have occurred to determine the current severity of the disability.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated as noncompensable, and the Board denied an initial compensable rating.,An effective date of January 9, 2022 was granted for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD. The Board found that this rating arose within one year prior to the Veteran filing his claim for increased benefits.,Service connection for hypertension was not granted earlier than August 10, 2022 as there were no unadjudicated claims or documents indicating an intent to file a claim for hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and higher initial rating for hypertension was denied. The Board found that the criteria for a 40 percent rating were not met due to diastolic pressure never being predominantly 120 or more during the appeal period.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection as it had its onset in service and meets the criteria for presumptive service connection. The claim of service connection for peripheral vascular disease is remanded due to its potential secondary relationship with hypertension.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, and anxiety), chloracne, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation due to potential toxic exposure during service. The AOJ is instructed to obtain VA TERA opinions regarding these issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional records and provide appropriate VA examinations.

Service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension has been granted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral lower extremity and upper extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, a right leg amputation secondary to DM, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity due to lack of evidence of herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumptively related to herbicide exposure under the PACT Act. PTSD, prostate cancer, neck condition, and fragment wound, left leg are denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition as secondary to his non-service-connected hypertension. The Veteran was not service connected for hypertension, and therefore, he could not establish service connection for a heart disability on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial evaluation for hypertension is being remanded due to the need to consider blood pressure readings prior to when he began taking continuous hypertension medication. The Board requests that the Veteran provide information about his healthcare providers during the period before his diagnosis and treatment of hypertension.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service connected due to herbicide exposure under the PACT Act, presuming exposure based on his Vietnam service.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records, including those from an unspecified emergency room and potential prison incarcerations.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, and hypertension are granted as service-connected due to herbicide exposure. The Board found the evidence sufficient to establish herbicide exposure in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Your appeal has been dismissed because the Veteran died during the pendency of your claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus type II was denied as the evidence did not show that his diabetes required more than one daily insulin injection and a restricted diet. The Veteran also received a TDIU due to multiple service-connected disabilities.