Citation Nr: 18143425
Decision Date: 10/19/18	Archive Date: 10/19/18

DOCKET NO. 17-59 492
DATE:	October 19, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to a compensable initial rating for hypertension is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from April 1946 to October 1947. 
This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a November 2015 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). Notice of the determination was issued on November 14, 2015.  While the Veteran’s Notice of Disagreement (NOD) received in March 2016 referenced notice of a February 2016 rating decision that confirmed and continued the noncompensable initial rating assigned for hypertension, such NOD was timely as to the November 2015 rating decision.  As a substantive appeal was timely received within the remaining 60-day appeal period following issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC), the November 2015 rating decision is on appeal.
A video conference hearing was held before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge in March 2018. A transcript of that hearing has been associated with the record.  
While the Board regrets the delay, pursuant to the duty to assist, additional development is needed with respect to the Veteran's claim. When a claimant asserts that the severity of a disability has increased since the most recent rating examination, an additional examination is appropriate. Snuffer v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 400 (1997). The Veteran contends that his hypertension has worsened since his last VA examination. See March 2018 Board hearing transcript. Specifically, the Veteran testified that he now has dizziness and aching eyelids and that he takes his own blood pressure readings at home and has found them to be elevated. The Veteran further testified that he goes to the VA three times a year for blood pressure checks, and to a private treatment provider once a month, but has not provided the private treatment records to the VA. The undersigned Veteran’s Law Judge gave the Veteran sixty days to provide his most recent private treatment records, but those records have not been received by the VA.  
Accordingly, the case is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Contact the Veteran and request that he provide authorization for release to VA of all records of treatment for hypertension by a private medical treatment provider, to include as referenced in testimony at the March 9, 2018 Board hearing.  The appropriate Authorization for Release form(s) should be provided to the Veteran for completion. After receipt of the requested authorization, all attempts to obtain the identified records should be documented of record.
2. Schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination to determine the extent, severity and manifestations of his service-connected hypertension. The claims file must be made available to the examiner for review in conjunction with the examination. All necessary testing must be completed. All clinical manifestations of the service-connected hypertension, and associated functional impairment, must be reported in detail. Associate a copy of the examination report with the claims file.
The examiner should provide a complete rationale for all opinions expressed. If the examiner cannot provide the requested information without resorting to speculation, then the examiner should provide an explanation and rationale for why such information could not be provided.
2. Thereafter, the AOJ should readjudicate the issue on appeal. If the benefit sought on appeal remains denied, the Veteran and his representative should be provided with a supplemental statement of the case and allowed an appropriate period for response. The case should then be returned to the Board for further consideration, if otherwise in order. 
 
U. R. POWELL
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	S.E. Leary