Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete authorization of private medical records and further development is needed.

The Veteran's diabetes, hypertension, stroke disorder, and kidney disorder are granted as the evidence is in approximate balance with regard to these claims.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, a stroke disorder (thrombosis), and stage IV kidney disease is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for high blood pressure and diabetes mellitus, type II due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's hypertension is being reviewed again as it may be proximately due or aggravated by his PTSD. Similarly, the diabetes mellitus, type II, is being reviewed again as it may be caused or aggravated by his PTSD.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his active service. The claim of entitlement to service connection for a headache disability is being remanded.

The Board has determined that the February 2022 decision denying eligibility to enroll in the PCAFC is not consistent with applicable law and requires remand for development based on a precedent case. The Veteran's eligibility should be evaluated under the correct statutory criteria.

The Veteran's cause of death is being remanded due to a duty to assist error that occurred prior to the rating decision on appeal. The Board must obtain additional medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's bladder cancer, which was service-connected as a result of contaminated water exposure at Camp Lejeune, contributed substantially or materially to his cause of death.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for narcolepsy and hypertension have been dismissed. The Board has also granted service connection for claustrophobia, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy associated with his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for his hypertension (HTN) is granted at a 10 percent level, but no higher. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of diastolic pressure predominantly 110 or more or systolic pressure predominantly 200 or more.

The Veteran's service-connected knee and ankle disabilities are found to have caused obesity, which in turn caused his obstructive sleep apnea. His hypertension is not considered a compensable disability due to lack of qualifying history.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest as chronic during service or within a presumptive period and there was no continuity of symptomatology. The Veteran's in-service blood pressure readings were often elevated but also frequently normal.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as aggravated by service-connected migraine headaches and for obstructive sleep apnea, both of which had their initial onset during active service.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims for various conditions and a rating for hearing loss. The Veteran's claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, hypertension, gastrointestinal disorder, sinusitis, acquired psychiatric disorder, right knee scar, lumbar spine disability, left shoulder disability, and bilateral hearing loss are all being reviewed.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, sinusitis, right lower extremity radiculopathy, hypertension, chronic diarrhea (IBS), and sleep apnea with asthma have all been denied. The effective dates for these conditions are September 1, 2022.,An earlier effective date of September 1, 2023, has been granted for the award of service connection for hypertension, a bilateral knee disorder, and a bilateral ankle disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and asthma are being remanded due to the need for further development, including VA examinations.

The Veteran's hypertension has been rated at 10 percent since November 9, 2015. The Board found that the evidence supported a higher rating due to the need for continuous medication and elevated blood pressure readings.

The Veteran's hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus (DM), and migraine headaches are all granted as service-connected. The hypertension is considered direct service connection due to the preexisting condition not being aggravated by service. Type II diabetes mellitus (DM) is found to have started during service based on post-service medical records showing progression from impaired fasting glucose to a confirmed diagnosis of DM II. Migraine headaches are also granted as they were first diagnosed during active military service and linked to in-service noise exposure.

Your appeal for an effective date of August 10, 2022, for the assignment of a 10 percent rating for hypertension has been dismissed as it was docketed twice.

The Board dismissed the appeal for hypertension as the appellant withdrew it before a decision was made.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection must be remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, specifically regarding the Veteran's reported toxic exposure risk activities (TERA). The AOJ is instructed to investigate and confirm these TERA, and then schedule the Veteran for new examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.