Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2026

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II due to duty-to-assist errors. The AOJ is required to obtain additional treatment records from Integrated Pain Solutions and provide new medical opinions addressing the relationship between the Veteran's obesity, service-connected lumbosacral strain, and his current conditions.

The appeal of the claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed.,Service connection for hypertension and OSA are granted, with secondary service connection for insomnia disorder as secondary to OSA also being granted.,Service connection for rhinitis, sinusitis, cholecystectomy (gallbladder condition), nephrolithiasis (kidney stones), and a respiratory disability (including asthma and dyspnea) is granted.

The Veteran's hypertension is not manifested by diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more, systolic pressure predominantly 160 or more, and he does not have a history of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more requiring continuous medication. Therefore, the claim for a compensable disability rating for hypertension is denied.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to October 16, 2023, and initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction have been denied.,Claims for service connection of left shoulder disorder, hypertension, TBI, and IBS are also remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board has not assigned a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction, as the condition is already compensated by SMC. For hypertension, the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and urinary incontinence as there was no evidence of a nexus to service or toxic exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claim of service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to a failure to provide the Veteran with a VA examination. The claims are remanded because there is evidence of in-service exposure to smoke inhalation from smoke grenades in an enclosed area.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension. The claims for DM II, sleep apnea, and ED are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, right knee condition, and sleep apnea (to include as secondary to PTSD). The claims were dismissed due to untimely Notice of Disagreement filings.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for service-connected hypertension was denied.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was also denied.

An effective date earlier than March 9, 2017, for a 70 percent rating for PTSD is denied.,An effective date earlier than January 7, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension is denied.,An effective date earlier than March 19, 2017, for an award of Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits is denied.,A rating higher than 70 percent for PTSD is denied.,An initial 10 percent rating for hypertension is granted.,A total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for migraines, sinusitis, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric condition due to missing service treatment records from March 2008 to August 2013 during the Veteran's Army Reserve service.

Your hypertension claim was previously denied, and there is no valid rating decision to appeal within the one year prior to your October 28, 2025 submission. The Board has dismissed your appeal as it does not have jurisdiction over this matter.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for hypertension is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The AOJ must obtain the blood pressure logs mentioned in treatment notes from January 2012, July 2012, November 2012, November 2013, December 2016, and February 2022 before readjudicating the claim.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for hypertension was granted with an effective date of January 5, 2022.,Claims for bilateral hearing loss and midsternal chest scar were denied as the earliest possible effective dates are January 5, 2022.,Claim for left lower extremity scar was also denied as the earliest possible effective dates are January 5, 2022.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral strain and obesity, which is considered an intermediary step.

The Veteran's prostate cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and DM II are presumed to be related to his exposure to herbicide agents in service. Service connection is granted for these conditions as well as for ED secondary to DM II, kidney disability (diagnosed as diabetic CKD and kidney cancer), and CKD secondary to DM II. Hypertension is not considered presumptively related to herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for hypertension due to a lack of an adequate nexus opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current hypertension and his in-service blood pressure readings.