If you're a military veteran who developed hypertension during or after your service, you may be eligible for disability benefits from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Proving a link between your hypertension and your military service is crucial to receiving these benefits. The process can be complex, and many veterans face denials despite meeting the necessary criteria.
Service connection is the key to your disability benefits case. It means proving a link between your hypertension and an in-service event, injury, or illness. One form of service connection is presumptive service connection, which applies to veterans whose condition was likely caused by service. Hypertension is eligible for presumptive service connection based on exposure to Agent Orange, a herbicide used during the Vietnam War Era that has been linked to various health conditions, including hypertension.
The recent Honoring Our PACT Act extended presumptive service connection to veterans who developed hypertension as a result of Agent Orange exposure. To be eligible for this presumption, the veteran needs to have served in specific locations and time periods, including the Republic of Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Guam, American Samoa, Johnston Atoll island, or aboard the ship between certain dates.
To prove service connection for hypertension, your blood pressure must meet specific criteria. If you have a valid diagnosis of hypertension with systolic pressure above 160 or diastolic pressure above 100, you may be eligible for presumptive service connection. If your diagnosis occurred after one year of your release from active duty, you'll need to provide evidence such as a medical opinion to establish the connection.
What's the monthly compensation?
The amount of monthly compensation for hypertension depends on your disability rating, which is based on the severity of your condition. VA assigns ratings from 0 to 100 percent. For example, a 10 percent rating qualifies you for monthly compensation, while a 0 percent rating still provides access to health care and other benefits.
Your rating depends on your blood pressure readings. For instance, a diastolic pressure of 130 or higher corresponds to a 60 percent rating, while a diastolic pressure of 100 to 109 or a systolic pressure of 160 to 199 corresponds to a 10 percent rating.
It's important to note that your diagnosis of hypertension must be supported by evidence of multiple blood pressure readings on different days. This rule ensures an accurate diagnosis.
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