Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims for service connection, including right knee disability, left knee injury, arthritis, chest scar, blurred vision, high blood pressure, and shoulder injuries. The decision does not address dental scars or provide a rating assigned.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches (claimed as migraines), to include as secondary to her service-connected hypertension and TMJ, is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for low back disability, bilateral foot disability, and hypertension.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service connected, effective April 28, 2021. This decision is based on the presumption of herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as due to herbicide exposure, effective August 10, 2022. The claim for service connection for aneurysm secondary to hypertension is remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to restore service connection for sleep apnea and remanded the issue of secondary service connection for hypertension.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and TDIU due to inadequate examination findings. The hypertension claim is related to exposure to Agent Orange, but the evidence does not support presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Diabetes Mellitus Type II, Blurred Vision Cataract as secondary to Diabetes Mellitus Type II, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Right Lower Extremity, and Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left Lower Extremity is granted. The Veteran's claim for service connection for Hypertension is also granted due to the PACT Act.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for dizziness as secondary to Diabetes Mellitus Type II is denied.

The Board has dismissed all claims of service connection due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma due to Agent Orange exposure. The case requires additional development including obtaining an Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) and VA treatment records from VistA Imaging.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence supports readjudicating the claims for service connection of diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and hypertension. The Veteran's assertions include a claim related to an in-service malaria illness, which may be related to these conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and chronic kidney disease are granted as service-connected on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicides during his Vietnam service. The secondary theories of service connection for atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease to now-service-connected hypertension are also granted.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 2, 2020 for the grant of a 10 percent disability rating for service-connected hypertension. The increase in severity occurred more than one year prior to the claim and is therefore effective as of the date of claim.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to readjudicate her previously denied claims for service connection for rectus diastasis sacroiliitis, back disorder (lumbar strain), neck disorder, skin disorder, hypertension, residuals of a miscarriage, and bilateral pronation syndrome.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection for hypertension as secondary to obstructive sleep apnea before the Board could make a decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, hiatal hernia with Mallore-Weiss tear, and depression due to a lack of a reasonably raised claim prior to the July 2002 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to a lack of proper consideration of his exposure to radiation during service. The AOJ is instructed to provide the Veteran with notice of his right to a hearing and forward all relevant documents, including a July 2013 memo about ionizing radiation exposure at Fort Bliss, to the VA Under Secretary for Health for a dose estimate.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertension was granted effective August 10, 2022, under the PACT Act. However, he is not entitled to an earlier effective date prior to this date and his initial compensable rating for hypertension remains at 0.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for hypertension is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability is denied.

The Veteran's hypertension is presumed due to exposure to burn pits and other toxic exposures during his service in the Persian Gulf War. The case is remanded for further development, including a TERA examination.