Is High Blood Pressure A Disability Under The Equality Act
No, high blood pressure is not a disability under the equality act. According to the equality act, to qualify for disability benefits, there are some specific conditions that the person should fulfill.Suppose the person suffers from a physical or mental illness that has a long-lasting effect on the person. This condition should also hinder the persons ability to work properly and complete their day-to-day activities. On the other hand, if you suffer from high blood pressure along with diabetes, then it is a disability under the equality act of 2010. This is because diabetes has a long-term impact on a person, and it also prohibits a person from performing their duties efficiently.
Va Disability For Hypertension
At VetLaw, we know how overwhelming it can be to apply for VA disability benefits. The requirements and forms always seem to be changing. On top of that, you are dealing with the day-to-day stresses of your illness or injury. We can help you with your appeal for VA disability for hypertension.
Not only are we lawyers, but were also veterans. That gives us some unique perspectives. We know what its like to transition back to civilian life. And, we know how confusing it is to navigate the VA system. Our firm exists because we believe that every veteran who is eligible for disability benefits should receive them.
Our lawyers can help you start your initial claim or assist you in pursuing an appeal. Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, and only collects a fee if we secure benefits for you. Contact us today.
How Do I Get Disability For Ptsd Secondary Hypertension Related To My Time In The Service
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that can occur after someone witnesses or experiences a life-threatening, traumatic, or terrifying event.
Veterans who suffer from service-connected PTSD may also suffer from secondary medical conditions, including hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. Untreated, high blood pressure can lead to vision loss, kidney and heart disease, and stroke.
According to research cited by the American Heart Association, soldiers in the U.S. military who were severely injured during the Afghanistan or Iraq wars or diagnosed with PTSD are at a greater risk of suffering from high blood pressure.
Additionally, researchers have found that soldiers who suffered from PTSD were up to 85 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure than those who didnt have PTSD. The more severely injured the soldier, the more likely she was to have hypertension.
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes hypertension as a ratable illness, and you may be eligible for disability benefits if you suffer from this as a secondary condition. If you can prove your hypertension is related to your service-connected PTSD, contact an experienced VA disability lawyer to help file your claim for compensation.
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What Is The Disability Rating For High Blood Pressure
If you have been in military service, you can get VA benefits for high blood pressure. According to the new guidelines by the VA, you are eligible for a disability grant with high blood pressure in exceptional cases. High blood pressure can get you a disability rating anywhere from 10% to 60%, depending on the severity of your situation.The 10% disability rating is given if a person has hypertension and their diastolic pressure is between 100 and 109. You will be given a rating of 20% if your diastolic pressure is between 110 to 119. Similarly, the rating keeps on increasing with your diastolic pressure. It is hard to get disability benefits alone based on high blood pressure.
Can You Receive Va Compensation For Hypertension
Yes, if you think that this condition is in any way related to your military service, you may be entitled to veteran compensation. Hypertension can lead to heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, damage to the eyes, severe leg pain, and aneurysms. It is a serious condition and has been known to affect Veterans who served multiple combat tours.
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Va Disability For Hypertension: Claim Eligibility Requirements
Your physician must clearly document your high blood pressure diagnosis before you can get a VA disability for hypertension rating. To file your VA disability for hypertension claim, you must:
Your doctor should measure your blood pressure twice or more daily on three different days to accurately diagnose your condition. The VA also asks for relevant information about any additional hypertension-related health problems. Your physician should include a detailed medical history and any conditions, symptoms, etc. that may influence the VAs determination decision. The VA also wants to hear your doctors professional opinion on whether hypertension affects your ability to work.
Va Rating For Hypertension: Basic Eligibility Criteria
In order to be eligible for a VA rating for hypertension, a veteran must meet three criteria by law:
- #1. Medical diagnosis of Hypertension in a medical record
- #2. Your Hypertension was caused or made worse by your active-duty military service OR by another service-connected disability for secondary service connection
- #3. Persistent and recurring symptoms of Hypertension
If you think you have hypertension, but dont have a medical diagnosis, pick-up the phone and call the VA mental health facility nearest you to make an appointment right away!
If youre trying to increase your VA rating for hypertension, you need to prove to the VA that your symptoms are now worse and warrant a higher rating by law.
The #1 best way to increase your VA rating for high blood pressure is to have medical evidence showing the worsening of your symptoms over time.
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Detailed Va Disability Rating Criteria For Hypertension
| DC 7101, VA Rating for Hypertension: | VA Rating |
| Diastolic pressure predominantly 110 or more, or systolic pressure predominantly 200 or more | 20% |
| Diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more, or systolic pressure predominantly 160 or more, or minimum evaluation for an individual with a history of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more who requires continuous medication for control | 10% |
| Note : Hypertension or isolated systolic hypertension must be confirmed by readings taken two or more times on at least three different days. For purposes of this section, the term hypertension means that the diastolic blood pressure is predominantly 90mm. or greater, and isolated systolic hypertension means that the systolic blood pressure is predominantly 160mm. or greater with a diastolic blood pressure of less than 90mm. | |
| Note : Evaluate hypertension due to aortic insufficiency or hyperthyroidism, which is usually the isolated systolic type, as part of the condition causing it rather than by a separate evaluation. | |
| Note : Evaluate hypertension separately from hypertensive heart disease and other types of heart disease. |
VA Rating for High Blood Pressure Chart
Dont Give Up On Your Va Claim For High Blood Pressure
If you have a diagnosis of hypertension from either a military, VA, or private doctor and you had elevated blood pressure readings while you were in service, do not stop appealing VAs denial of your claim merely because you do not meet their overly-difficult requirements.
If you have questions about VAs high blood pressure requirements or other matters related to service-connected disability claims, please feel free to call our Wisconsin VA disability attorneys at or contact us online.
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Common Signs And Symptoms Of High Blood Pressure:
High Blood Pressure or Hypertension symptoms vary from veteran to veteran.
Please, if you have any of these symptoms, go see a doctor right away!
You could be having a hypertensive crisis that could lead to a heart attack or stroke.
You may also have another serious health condition that requires medical attention.
If your blood pressure is high, there are symptoms you need to watch out for, including:
- Severe headaches
What Is The Va Disability Rating For Hypertensive Heart Disease
Kidney disease is a broad term that can appear in several stages.
Acute Kidney Disease
Acute kidney disease, or acute kidney failure, occurs when the kidneys stop functioning suddenly. Symptoms of acute kidney failure typically appear within a few days and are often a result of another illness. Acute kidney failure is more likely to occur when an individual has another condition that requires hospitalization or intensive health care. This is a serious condition that requires immediate medical treatment.
Diabetic nephropathy
Diabetic nephropathy is the beginning of kidney disease. In a person with diabetes, it is a progressive kidney disease caused by damage to the capillaries in the kidneys glomeruli. Diabetic nephropathy is diagnosed when there is a presence of elevated urinary protein excretion , and when there is no other type of renal disease presence.
We will go over the connection between diabetes and kidney disease in more depth below.
Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease , also known as chronic renal disease, is a progressive loss of kidney function over a period of months or years. Individuals with diabetes or high blood pressure are screened for kidney disease, and if undiagnosed for a long period, may already be at the chronic stage by the time it is diagnosed.
There are 5 stages of kidney disease, each stage being determined by the glomerular filtration rate.
| Stage |
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Va Disability Compensation Claims
Any Veteran who was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam and who is diagnosed with hypertension is encouraged to file a VA disability compensation claim at va.gov. Once the condition is recognized, the claim should be granted.
If you were previously denied for hypertension and you were exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam, you are also encouraged to reopen your claim by contacting us for assistance in filing a Supplemental Claim. Again, any previously denied claim should be granted upon implementation of the new law.
How Do You Get Checked For High Blood Pressure
Checking your blood pressure is simple. Your provider places a fabric cuff around your upper arm and pumps it full of air. Your provider then listens to your heartbeat while the air lets out of the cuff.
Follow these steps to help your provider correctly measure your blood pressure:
- Wear a short-sleeved shirt or blouse.
- Empty your bladder.
- For at least 30 minutes before your appointment, don’t:
- Do any vigorous activity
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What Is High Blood Pressure In Veterans
Hypertension and High Blood Pressure are the same thing.
According to the Mayo Clinic, High Blood Pressure occurs when the long-term force of high blood pressure against your artery walls leads to a variety of health problems, such as heart disease or stroke.
Generally, your blood pressure is determined in two ways: The amount of blood your heart pumps and The amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries.
The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure.
A blood pressure reading is given in millimeters of mercury and it has two numbers.
These two numbers will affect your final VA disability rating for High Blood Pressure:
- Top Number The first, or upper, number measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats.
- Bottom Number The second, or lower, number measures the pressure in your arteries between beats.
Hypertension Symptoms And Treatments
Blood pressure is the measurement of the amount of blood the heart pumps and the amount of resistance the blood vessels offer when your blood is flowing through them. If your heart pumps more blood, your coronary arteries will be narrower. The blood pressure has two numbers:-
- The top number, also known as the systolic pressure, measures the pressure inside your arteries. It also indicates the pumping of the blood when your heartbeats. Normal blood pressure rating for systolic pressure is 120 for adults
- The bottom number is also known as the diastolic pressure. It measures the arteries in between the beating of the heart. Normal blood pressure rating for diastolic pressure is 80 for adults.
Usually, people who suffer from high blood pressure are not even aware of this condition. There are no unique symptoms of high blood pressure, even when the blood pressure reaches high levels that are dangerous for a person.
Some people with high blood pressure can have headaches, nose bleeding, short breath, chest pain, vision problems and body ache. But most of these symptoms do not show up until the high blood pressure reaches life-threatening levels.
Typically, doctors suggest hypertension patients take control of their diets and exercise regularly to lower their blood pressure.
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How Can A Person Lower Their Blood Pressure
Too powerful, the power high blood pressure medication cause bruising Va Disability For Being On High Blood Pressure Medication Aortic Aneurysm of a fruit is too terrifying, He looked around, but he does ashwagandha lower blood pressure also sighed. Although there does ashwagandha lower blood pressure were still fruits around, the power was not comparable to the one he swallowed before.
Is There A Va Disability Rating For High Cholesterol
Now that youve read about what high cholesterol is and how it can impact the body, we can focus on the question at hand. Is there a VA disability rating for high cholesterol?
Unfortunately, there is not. The VA does not recognize high cholesterol as something that can be related to service. This is likely because high cholesterol is often a byproduct of a combination of genetics, age, a lack of exercise and unhealthy eating. When one is serving, they are typically younger than the age that most people begin to experience high cholesterol.
Additionally, when one is serving, they are forced to meet the requirements of healthy BMIs and are expected to exercise in a regimented way. As such, the VA does not believe high cholesterol has anything to do with service.
However, the VA does recognize several conditions that are linked to high cholesterol as eligible to receive a disability rating. That is why its important to know what high cholesterol is, and the conditions that may be related to it.
Lets look at some conditions that are related to high cholesterol and earn VA ratings.
combined VA rating and monthly payment
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Applying For Social Security Benefits For High Blood Pressure
There are multiple ways to apply for Social Security disability benefits. You can apply at your local Social Security Administration office, via telephone at 888-772-1213, or online at www.ssa.gov .
Regardless of how you apply, you will need detailed information regarding your medical conditions and treatments to complete the application. Although the claims adjudicator will request your medical records, you can also submit any records that you have in your possession.
Examiners Are Looking For Sufficient Medical Evidence To Substantiate Your Hypertension
Not only do your blood pressure readings have to meet the above definitions, but they must also be documented over a period of three different days and measured at least twice a day.
This is likely not recorded in your medical records in this highly specific way, so the best thing to do is to take your blood pressure at home and keep a log so you can provide it during your exam.
If you dont have your own blood pressure machine, you can get a reading taken at any local pharmacy. If youve been denied a VA hypertension diagnosis in the past on this basis, you can consider filing for a supplemental claim with the evidence outlined above.
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Diet High In Trans Fat And Saturated Fat
Americans are prone to diets high in trans and saturated fats. Saturated fats are found in animal products, like meat and dairy, while trans fats are often found in items like commercially made bakery items, popcorn and other dietery staples.
While everything in moderation is a mantra that should be followed, having too much of these types of items can lead to high cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol, your doctor may have given you a diet to follow. But it is important that you have a diet that is high in fruits and vegetables, and lower in trans and saturated fats in order to keep your cholesterol levels down.
How Is Too Much Ldl Bad For You
We quantified above that too much LDL can present major problems for a person. But how so?
If your body has produced too much LDL, your body wont be able to carry it through your bloodstream. This will start to cause a blockage or build-up of cholesterol plaque.
When the build-up becomes too significant, this makes it difficult for blood to flow through the arteries, delivering blood and other materials to the heart and the rest of the body. If it blocks it completely, this can cause a blood clot, which can result in cutting off blood flow to the brain or heart. This can result in a stroke or heart attack.
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