Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to errors in notice and duty to assist.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for hypertension is denied. The Board has also remanded his claim for an initial compensable rating for hypertension due to a lack of complete records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for an employment handicap, as he has overcome any impairments to employability through his education, work history, and transferrable skills. Therefore, VR&E benefits are denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for eczema and high blood pressure, both secondary to PTSD with alcohol use disorder, have been denied. The claim for sleep apnea is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,The claim for a neck condition remains unresolved as it has not yet been determined if there is a current diagnosis or its relationship to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's ED is caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and/or sleep apnea. The Board has granted the claim for service connection of ED as secondary to these service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for diabetes, headaches, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea as additional development is necessary due to incomplete STRs.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and thus denied his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) is being remanded due to the need for a new aid and attendance examination. The AOJ will consider all service-connected disabilities in determining if they render the Veteran helpless, requiring regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for headaches was denied as the evidence did not show that his headaches were productive of severe economic inadaptability.,The Veteran's hypertension claims from September 1, 2008 to November 12, 2019 and from November 13, 2019 onwards are pending due to outstanding records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and headaches due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, a disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II, and a compensable disability rating for left ear sensorineural hearing loss due to incomplete information and need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance or housebound status, as he does not require personal assistance from others and is not substantially confined to his dwelling.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in a previous VA examiner's opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder and her current hypertension disability. Additional development is needed, including obtaining private medical records from the Veteran's private cardiologist.

The Veteran's hypertension is presumed to be etiologically related to his conceded in-service herbicide exposure. The Board granted service connection for hypertension, but remanded the issues of service connection for OSA and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, alopecia, and migraine headache disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and medical opinions. The issues are related to secondary service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for hypertension due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's STRs show multiple instances of elevated and high blood pressure during his active service, but no such findings after separation in December 1983. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether it is approximately as likely as not that the Veteran's current hypertension incepted during his active service or is otherwise related to elevated and high blood pressure readings during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including traumatic brain injury and back pain, resulted in the need for regular aid and attendance. The Board found that SMC aid and attendance is granted based on these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss, and there was no service connection established for most of the claimed conditions.

The Board has granted a TDIU and SMC based on housebound criteria for the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and hypertension, effective August 2, 2021.

The Board has denied service connection for fibromyalgia due to lack of objective evidence and credible opinion supporting the diagnosis.,Service connection is remanded for hypertension and sleep apnea as there is insufficient evidence linking these conditions to service.