Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of hypertension and right ear hearing loss were denied. The Board has remanded these issues.,Service connection for hypertension was granted in June 2023 based on the PACT Act, but an earlier effective date is not warranted.

The Board has found errors in the AOJ's decision and remands the Veteran's claims for further examination and opinion regarding his claimed disabilities, as they may be related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC in excess of SMC(n) based on his service-connected conditions and additional disabilities, as well as his need for aid and attendance. The appeal was dismissed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding an increased evaluation for service-connected hypertension, which is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, GERD, Barrett's esophagus, and arrhythmia are remanded due to pre-decisional errors in obtaining necessary medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, adenocarcinoma, and hypertension, did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment from June 24, 2024 to June 6, 2025.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, basal cell carcinoma, bilateral pseudophakia, dry eye syndrome and blepharitis (bilateral eye conditions), diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and heart condition due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's exposure to asbestos is conceded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, basal cell carcinoma, bilateral pseudophakia, dry eye syndrome and blepharitis (bilateral eye conditions), diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and heart condition due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's exposure to asbestos is conceded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and stroke disorder as secondary to hypertension have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection for hypertension, and thus, denied both claims.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for hypertension has been granted, with the effective dates being July 15, 2019, to April 4, 2023, and from April 5, 2023.

The Veteran's hypertension and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as a sleep deprivation condition) have been granted service connection. The claim for arthritis has been remanded.

The Veteran's hypertension is presumed to be related to service due to exposure to herbicide agents in Guam, but the Board will still consider whether it can be linked directly to his service prior to August 10, 2022.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and headaches are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The AOJ is required to obtain a VA examination and medical opinion to determine if the conditions are related to his military service, including exposure in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to missing records and a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The claims will be readjudicated after obtaining any necessary records.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, CHF and ventricular arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity affecting the femoral nerve, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity affecting the femoral nerve were denied as there is no evidence that these conditions arose prior to July 31, 2024.,The effective dates for service connection for CHF and ventricular arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity affecting the femoral nerve, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity affecting the femoral nerve were denied as there is no evidence that these conditions arose prior to July 31, 2024.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on housebound status as he does not have a single disability rated at 100% and his disabilities are not so severe that they render him substantially confined to his residence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbosacral strain, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, right eye disability, and left eye disability due to inadequate VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating and earlier effective date for his psychiatric disability was denied. The appeal of the proposed reduction in hypertension rating is dismissed as not being an adjudicative determination.

The appeal of the hypertension claim is dismissed as moot due to a concurrent grant under the PACT Act. The tension headaches claim has an effective date prior to February 2, 2023.

The Veteran's hypertension and polycystic kidney disease were rated as 30 percent prior to December 1, 2019, and 60 percent from December 1, 2019, to June 14, 2020. The appeal is denied for a rating in excess of these percentages.,Service connection for sleep apnea was denied as the Veteran's disability was not related to any injury or event incurred in service.