BVA decisions by condition
Hypertension: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a hypertension issue in 49,650 decisions. It granted the hypertension issue in 18.3% of them, close to the 19.9% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 31.5%, and remanded it in 49.6%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 36.7% were granted.
Decisions
49,650
2018–2026
Granted
18.3%
All conditions: 19.9%
Granted on the merits
36.7%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
49.6%
Denied: 31.5%
Hypertension outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 6,117 | 10.2% | 38.8% | 49.5% |
| 2019 | 6,436 | 11.2% | 32.8% | 55.4% |
| 2020 | 6,316 | 11.6% | 33.2% | 54.2% |
| 2021 | 5,724 | 13.8% | 30.0% | 55.3% |
| 2022 | 5,626 | 21.7% | 23.6% | 53.8% |
| 2023 | 5,794 | 28.6% | 25.7% | 46.7% |
| 2024 | 5,565 | 25.6% | 30.4% | 43.8% |
| 2025 | 5,817 | 23.0% | 36.0% | 40.6% |
| 2026 | 2,255 | 25.7% | 32.8% | 41.2% |
Evidence in granted and denied hypertension decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the hypertension issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 7,863 | 65.6% | 29.6% | +36.0 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 5,811 | 59.6% | 32.6% | +27.0 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 2,481 | 51.8% | 35.8% | +16.0 pts |
| Combat service | 3,262 | 50.6% | 35.8% | +14.9 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 13,801 | 48.4% | 33.8% | +14.6 pts |
| Buddy statement | 1,230 | 50.9% | 36.4% | +14.5 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 15,015 | 44.3% | 32.8% | +11.5 pts |
| Lay statement | 36,385 | 32.4% | 50.5% | −18.1 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 67.9% of the decisions that granted hypertension.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 22.8% of grants and 10.4% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often hypertension was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 24,618 | 33.9% | 39.7% | −5.9 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 35,545 | 33.4% | 48.9% | −15.5 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied hypertension
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established1,276
- Requires continuous medication for control312
- History of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more187
- Continuity of symptomatology since service158
- Hypertension rated under dc 7101115
- Criteria for service connection met109
- Pact act added hypertension to presumptive list for herbicide exposure108
- Conceded herbicide exposure105
Most common reasons in denials
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis1,788
- Va examiner: less likely than not related to service1,467
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim1,196
- Service records negative or silent1,109
- No current diagnosis771
- No continuity of symptomatology557
- Current diagnosis established362
- No history of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more327
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent hypertension decisions
Granted
Veteran presumed exposed to herbicide agents in Vietnam; Veteran has diagnosis of hypertension; PACT Act includes hypertension as disease with positive association to herbicide exposure
Favorable finding of current heart condition; Service-connected hypertension established; Prohibitive VA opinion linking hypertension to atrial fibrillation
Mild left ventricular hypertrophy found on Feb 10, 2021 echocardiogram.; Met criteria for 30% rating under DC 7005.; Benefit of doubt applied due to approximate balance of evidence.
Denied
No evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation; No nexus to service or claimed exposures; Hypertension did not originate in service, within a year of service, or is not otherwise etiologically related to active service
Hypertension claimed secondary to diabetes mellitus, which was not service-connected.; Condition did not onset during service or within one year of separation.; No continuity of symptoms from service to diagnosis.
Blood pressure readings do not meet criteria for higher ratings; Not on continuous medication for hypertension; No diastolic pressure of 100 or more recorded
Rules that apply to hypertension claims
- 38 CFR 4.104 · DC 7101
Schedule of ratings: cardiovascular system
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.iii.5.3
Hypertension: definitions, blood pressure readings required, predominant blood pressure
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.iii.11.2.e
When hypertension is or is not a complication of diabetes
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your hypertension case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a hypertension issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2018–2026) and can contain errors. Updated automatically as new decisions are added.
- Research aid, not legal advice. Verify each decision and regulation before relying on it.