Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2026

The Veteran's service connection claim for hypertension is granted due to exposure to Agent Orange during his service aboard the USS Coral Sea.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral knee condition, high blood pressure, and low back condition. Service connection was also denied for pseudofolliculitis barbae.

The Board is remanding the cases due to an incomplete record and a need for additional information regarding applications filed prior to March 9, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and other conditions, rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to July 21, 2025.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for diabetes, gum disease, hypertension, orthopedic foot disorder, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, hepatitis C, skin disorder of the feet (claimed as trench foot), and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression and anxiety) due to errors in duty to assist.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, tinnitus, allergic rhinitis, basal cell carcinoma of the neck, diplopia (hypermetropia), type II diabetes mellitus, a heart condition, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to failure to appear at scheduled VA examinations. The effective dates for these claims cannot be determined without further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip and back disabilities, hypertension, prostate cancer, and chronic kidney disease on a secondary basis to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability. The evidence supports that these conditions are caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple conditions are being remanded due to a duty to assist error regarding SSA disability benefit records.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of hypertension due to the appellant's withdrawal of his claim.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, and back disorder (lumbosacral strain) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. The VA examiner found no causal relationship between the knee disabilities and the claimed conditions.

The Board has found that additional medical opinions are needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, including gout, abdominal aortic aneurysm, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and radiculopathy. The case is being remanded for this purpose.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is due to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and potential secondary service connection theories.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for hypertension as it is inadequate due to a lack of consideration of the Veteran's lay assertions regarding an early-post service diagnosis and exposure to occupational exposures. Additional development, including obtaining post-service treatment records and conducting a new VA examination, is required.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a heart disability and hypertension due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. The AOJ is required to obtain addendum medical opinions regarding toxic exposure risk activities (TERA).

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded due to the need for additional verification of his exposure to herbicides while stationed at Fort Bragg and Fort Sherman, Panama. The AOJ must verify these exposures before a decision can be made on service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted. His left knee, right knee, hypertension, erectile dysfunction (secondary to back disability), left lower extremity sciatic nerve pain, and right lower extremity sciatic nerve pain are all found to be related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for acquired kidney disease and hypertension due to new and relevant evidence submitted after the final denial. The claims are remanded as further development is needed, including a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) and remanded the secondary service connection claims for GERD, hypertension, sleep apnea, gastritis, headaches, and fatigue as secondary to CAN.

The Board has decided that the claim of service connection for hypertension should be remanded due to insufficient evidence, particularly regarding the relationship between the Veteran's exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and his current hypertension.