Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease were granted effective August 10, 2022, based on the PACT Act. However, an earlier effective date is denied as the grants were not based all or in part on newly submitted service records.

The Veteran's hypertension and heart disease, including ischemic heart disease and congestive heart failure, are granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The appeal is also granted for secondary service connection of congestive heart failure.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension, and the Board has dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for hypertension service connection and a higher initial rating, as well as his TDIU claim due to inextricably intertwined issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus type II, high blood pressure, right knee disorder, and lumbar disorder due to inadequate medical opinions in the original decision. The Veteran's service connection claims are being returned for further development.

The effective date prior to October 1, 2012 for the grant of service connection for migraines and PTSD is denied.,The reduction in disability rating from 30 percent to 10 percent for pes planus with plantar fasciitis was not proper and is void ab initio.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of July 10, 2019 for service connection for hypertension and denied a compensable rating for the condition.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA eligibility were granted with effective dates of August 15, 2019.,Effective March 13, 2020, the Veteran received ratings for various service-connected conditions including stooped postures, diffuse bradykinesia and neuropathy in both lower extremities, mild neurocognitive disorder due to Parkinson's disease, partial loss of smell, speech impairment, sexual dysfunction, right-side buttocks scars, and hypertension.,The effective dates for these ratings are March 13, 2020. The Veteran's service connection claims were previously denied but reopened with new evidence supporting the claims.,Diabetes mellitus was not granted an earlier effective date than August 15, 2019.,Parkinson's disease and related conditions were also not granted an earlier effective date than March 13, 2020.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection for sinus bradycardia as moot because a full award was granted. The Board granted service connection for hypertension effective April 26, 2017, finding it directly caused by herbicide exposure during service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, hypertension, sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active military service.,Specifically, the Veteran's service treatment records did not show any diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric condition, such as PTSD. The Board found that there was insufficient evidence to establish a link between current symptoms and in-service stressors.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various neuropathies and hypertension due to lack of addendum opinions addressing key issues, including the February 2013 study reference.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to his military service and exposure therein, granted on a direct basis.,The Veteran's lung disorder is related to his military service and exposure therein, specifically burn pit exposure. The claim for this condition was also granted.

The Board is remanding the claim for service connection for hypertension prior to August 10, 2022 due to a previous decisional error and new evidence.

The Board has found that the Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities are remanded due to errors in obtaining and reviewing VA treatment records prior to August 2019, as well as failing to schedule a VA examination.

The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and the Board found no evidence to support presumptive service connection for his conditions.

The Board dismissed the claim of service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to a withdrawal by the Veteran. The claims of service connection for high blood pressure and sinusitis are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for an initial compensable rating evaluation for hearing loss, hypertension, left knee scar, right knee tricompartmental degenerative arthritis, arthritis - hands, fingers, shoulder, hips, knees and right clavicle, insomnia, low back pain, numbness in arms, or right shoulder condition.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service connected due to herbicide exposure, with a presumption of association.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is at least as likely as not incurred in service and directly related to his military service, thus granting the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's pituitary adenoma, gynecomastia, hypothyroidism, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II (DMII), hypogonadism, and upper gastrointestinal (GI) ulcer with hemorrhaging are all granted as service-connected due to in-service exposure to ionizing radiation.