Citation Nr: 18151512
Decision Date: 11/19/18	Archive Date: 11/19/18

DOCKET NO. 15-16 664
DATE:	November 19, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, to include as secondary to service-connected hypertension, is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from October 1961 to October 1965.
Entitlement to service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, to include as secondary to service-connected hypertension, is remanded.
The Veteran maintains that his Type II diabetes mellitus was caused or aggravated by his service-connected hypertension.  In support of his claim, he submitted a December 2011 statement from a private doctor who wrote that “uncontrolled hypertension is a risk factor for coronary artery disease as well as diabetes.”  In July 2011, he underwent a VA examination which showed he was diagnosed with Type II diabetes mellitus.  However, the examiner’s conclusory opinion is inadequate to decide the claim.  The examiner stated only that the Veteran’s diabetes was not a result of his hypertension, and diabetes was not a known complication of hypertension.  However, no rationale was provided and the examiner did not address the issue of whether the Veteran’s diabetes was aggravated by his service-connected hypertension.  As such, remand is needed for an addendum VA opinion.
Since the claim is being remanded, any outstanding VA treatment records should be obtained and associated with the Veteran’s claims file.  See 38 C.F.R. § 3.159 (c)(2); see also Bell v. Derwinski, 2 Vet. App. 611 (1992).
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Obtain and associate with the claims file all outstanding VA treatment records regarding the Veteran.
2. After completion of the above, obtain an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding whether the Veteran’s Type II diabetes mellitus is at least as likely as not proximately due to his service-connected hypertension or aggravated by (defined as any increase in disability) his hypertension.
 
M. E. Larkin
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	Jack S. Komperda, Counsel