Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Veteran's attorney, R.C., is eligible for a direct payment of reasonable attorney fees based on the past-due benefits awarded in February and March 2022 Rating Decisions. However, the appeal is denied as the highest reasonable fee that may be charged is 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and increased rating for hypertension due to in-service herbicide exposure. The matter must be remanded for a VA medical opinion on whether hypertension is related to service, including addressing conceded in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for OSA is granted as secondary to the service-connected PTSD.,Hypertension is granted as service-connected due to military service.,Functional diarrhea, a chronic qualifying disability related to service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations, is presumed to be service-connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension began in service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions are dismissed due to untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement (NOD). The appeal is also dismissed as there was no good cause shown for the late filing.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied in the April 2017, December 2017, and April 2021 rating decisions. The Board found that the Veteran did not timely file his appeal requests.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, a recurrent sinus disability to include chronic sinusitis, a recurrent respiratory disability, and a recurrent cardiovascular disability. The Veteran's periods of active duty with the Missouri Army National Guard have not been verified.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance is remanded due to the need for an examination that properly assesses his disability picture in relation to his theory of entitlement, specifically focusing on service-connected disabilities alone.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to address service connection and rating issues, including OSA, headaches, heart disability, GERD, right foot achilles disability, and hypertension.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is granted at a 70 percent evaluation, effective November 17, 2022. The rating for chronic kidney disease remains noncompensable.

The Veteran's hypertension has not met the criteria for a compensable rating as per VA regulations, and thus his initial claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, tinnitus, traumatic brain injury (TBI), nausea, muscle weakness and pain, bowel incontinence, and urinary incontinence have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability or a relationship between the claimed conditions and military service.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and migraine headaches are being remanded.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the claim for service connection for hypertension. The Veteran's current hypertension is at least as likely as not the result of his time in service, with instances of elevated blood pressure readings shown during service. Therefore, service connection for hypertension is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the PACT Act requiring a TERA-specific examination and secondary service connection evaluations.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings and service connection due to issues related to obesity, lumbosacral strain, left ankle strain, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The Veteran's obesity is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, hypertension, and migraines as there was no AOJ decision on the merits.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for PTSD and service connection for hypertension were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for either condition.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted as secondary to his service-connected depression. The claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for allergic rhinitis, scars, hypertension, and bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and adjudication, including addressing earlier effective dates for hypertension and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran was granted service connection for hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and valvular heart disease with right sided heart failure and left ventricular hypertrophy effective August 10, 2022. The effective date is based on the presumption of herbicide exposure.