Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's hypertension was granted effective August 5, 2016. An initial compensable rating for nephrolithiasis is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10% rating for hypertension is granted, with the effective date set at February 7, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea have been dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to proceed with these appeals as the appellant (Veteran) is deceased.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates are being remanded due to the need for updated VA medical records and additional examinations.,The Veteran is seeking higher initial ratings for his service-connected sleep apnea, voiding dysfunction, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and hypertension.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate opinions from VA examiners regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected sleep apnea caused or aggravated his hypertension and diabetes mellitus, Type II.

The Board has granted a rating of 10 percent for hypertension and denied entitlement to a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss. The decision is based on the Veteran's history of hypertension and his service-connected left ear hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error regarding his claimed herbicide exposure. The AOJ needs to conduct further research to verify if the Veteran served within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam during his service from May 1968 to July 1968.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and peripheral neuropathy are granted due to exposure to herbicide agents during his service in the Korean DMZ. The PACT Act of 2022 is applied to grant service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has not been received to readjudicate the claims of service connection for lumbar spine disability, headaches, head injury, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension. The Veteran's request for additional records was not addressed prior to the decision on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of hypertension was granted with an effective date of December 12, 2017. The decision is based on the date he submitted his original claim within one year of receiving a notification of Intent to File.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for hypertension due to insufficient medical opinions and a need for further examination. The Veteran's hypertension is being evaluated based on its onset during or relation to active-duty service, as well as whether it was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at a 10 percent disability rating, effective from the date of the August 2023 agency decision. The Board found that the Veteran's systolic blood pressure was predominantly 160 or more during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with depressed mood alone does not preclude her from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and therefore the claim for SMC at 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) rate is denied.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal for all issues.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and arterial hypertension as secondary to his service-connected asbestosis with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The Board has determined that the issues of service connection for obesity, diabetes mellitus type 2, obstructive sleep apnea, arrhythmias, hypertension, venous stasis, erectile dysfunction, and recurrent water blisters need to be remanded as VA examiners have not provided opinions regarding whether these conditions are related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate medical opinions and consideration of lay contentions. The Veteran is scheduled for VA examinations to address his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis is granted. The claims for blurred vision, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus are denied.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to a lack of treatment records from Willow Pain and Wellness, which may affect the Veteran's functional impairment assessment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient explanation of staged ratings for hypertension prior to March 8, 2022.