Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal for a higher level of special monthly compensation (SMC) was denied as he is already in receipt of the maximum SMC rate due to his service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and PTSD/MDD at 60% or more.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral tinnitus is granted. The claims for vertigo, breast cancer, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded due to insufficient development of evidence regarding toxic exposure risk activities (TERA). The claim for coronary atherosclerotic disease is also remanded.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for hypertension from May 24, 2025. The claims for service connection of atrial fibrillation status post Watchman procedure, bilateral hearing loss, and intracranial hemorrhage of the left frontal lobar are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Parkinson's disease, lumbar spine disability, and arteriosclerotic heart disease, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a TDIU and established basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance prior to May 1, 2025.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various conditions, including heart disorder, DMII, prostate cancer, kidney disorder, hypertension, and essential tremors. The VA examiners did not consider the Veteran's total potential exposures through all applicable military deployments, which includes his exposure as a missile maintenance technician involving solvents, asbestos, petroleum products, and hydraulic fluids.

The Veteran's death was caused by end stage renal disease, which the VA clinician concluded was due to his hypertension. The private clinician opined that the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange in service, along with service-connected PTSD, caused the development of his hypertension and contributed substantially to his end stage renal disease.

The Veteran's hypertension, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, and sleep apnea are all granted as service-connected due to exposure to PFAS during his military service.,Service connection for chronic bronchitis is denied.

The Veteran's hypertension began during active service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for sleep apnea, headaches, alcohol use disorder (claimed as depression/anxiety), hypertension, and heart attack due to potential service connection based on aggravation of a pre-existing condition or secondary to other service-connected disabilities. Additional medical opinions are required regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating greater than 20 percent for hypertension is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right leg disability, lung damage, dementia, Parkinson's disease, sleep apnea, kidney disease, diabetes, and vision loss are all denied.,Service connection was not granted for any of the conditions listed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors and a need for a new VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the appellant's hypertension and in-service toxic exposures.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a back disability, hypertension, and CAD. The claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension as there is no evidence that it began during or was aggravated by his military service, including exposure to herbicides in Korea. The Veteran's blood pressure at separation was 118/70 and he did not have a diagnosis of hypertension within one year of separation.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for hypertension was denied.,Service connection for a bone density disability, iron deficiency anemia, IBS, migraines, sleep apnea, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability were all denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions regarding his hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension. The claims will be reconsidered after additional development.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for hypertension has been dismissed as he requested withdrawal of his appeal prior to the scheduled hearing.

The Veteran's hypertension was not rated higher than noncompensable (0%) due to insufficient evidence of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more, or systolic pressure predominantly 160 or more.,The Veteran's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma did not cause any current symptoms or functional impairment, such as visual impairment, and therefore was not rated higher than noncompensable (0%).

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, bilateral hand pain causing impairment in earning capacity, and inguinal hernia are granted. The initial rating of 50% for PTSD is granted from June 24, 2019 to April 22, 2022.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) require additional development due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.