Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2024

The Board denied the Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that new and material evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

Service connection for hypertension is granted under the PACT Act. Service connection for a heart disability, including ischemic heart disease and aortic valve disease with aortic valve replacement, remains pending as it does not apply to the PACT Act.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, finding that his PTSD aggravates his hypertension.

The Veteran's hypertension, right inguinal hernia repair, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAT) with tachycardia, and hypertensive heart disease with cardiomyopathy are all rated at their maximum levels. The Board has found no basis for granting higher ratings in any of these cases.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain VA examinations and opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's claimed conditions and his military service, including participation in TERA activities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when taken together, prevent him from securing or following a 'substantially gainful' occupation given his prior vocational history and the impact of his service-connected right foot disabilities (i.e., pes planus, hallux valgus, and hallux rigidus), left foot disability(status post fracture with hallux valgus), back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, right foot and back scars, and GERD, when taken together, have on obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful non-sedentary employment and sedentary employment, including in his past employment as a police officer.

The Board denied the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The effective dates for his service connection awards for hypertension, gynecomastia, and a left shoulder burn scar were all set to September 23, 2015.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated as noncompensable. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for hypertension, stomach disability (GERD), skin cancer, and right testicle cancer. These issues are being remanded due to incomplete development of his claims.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the higher rating of 10 percent for hypertension is denied as it does not meet the criteria established by VA regulations.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD is denied due to a failure to timely file a substantive appeal within one year from the issuance of the June 2014 SOC, making the May 28, 2008 statement of the case (SOC) final.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for a back disability is denied as it does not meet the criteria established by VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to the Appellant's character of discharge and service connection claims for various disabilities. The case will be returned to VA for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected heart disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history, thus the TDIU claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, HTN, and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy due to their secondary nature to his already service-connected schizophrenia.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cardiovascular disability, including atrial enlargement, LVH, and hypertension. The decision also denies secondary service connection for these conditions to include as secondary to her service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for blindness in both eyes, type II diabetes mellitus (DMII), renal insufficiency, and hypertension due to new evidence received since the last SSOC.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus and remanded the remaining claims due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's heart disability, hypertension, and anemia are also being remanded for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to incomplete development regarding his exposure to herbicide agents and insufficient medical opinions addressing his heart conditions.

The Veteran was granted service connection for dry eye syndrome and hypertension, but denied for gout. The appeal regarding headaches is still pending.,Service connection for dry eye syndrome is established as it began during active service.

The Veteran's appeals for various ratings and service connection claims have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic edema of the lower extremities and bilateral lumbar radiculopathy as secondary to service-connected hypertension due to incomplete medical records, conflicting opinions from examiners, and need for additional clarification.