Citation Nr: 20003176
Decision Date: 01/14/20	Archive Date: 01/14/20

DOCKET NO. 19-07 546
DATE: January 14, 2020

REMANDED

Service connection for heart palpitations is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from May 2019 to August 2018.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from an October 2018 rating decision of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).

1. Service connection for heart palpitations is remanded.

The Board cannot make a fully-informed decision on the issue of service connection for palpitations because no VA examiner has opined whether the Veteran has heart palpitations that are related to service or to another service connected disability.  Specifically, no medical opinion was rendered after the September 2018 VA examination, although at the time, the Veteran was found not to have a current disability. Treatment records received since the VA examination show a diagnosis of intermittent palpitations.  Additionally, these palpitations were reported in conjunction with hypertension, and the Veteran is service-connected for an aortic aneurism and hypertension.

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

1. Obtain a medical opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding the Veteran’s heart palpitations.  

For the purposes of this opinion, the examiner is to assume that the Veteran has current intermittent palpitations as indicated in October 2018 private treatment records showing intermittent palpitations.  The examiner is to opine as follows:

(a.) Whether it is at least as likely as not that the palpitations the Veteran has experienced since service are related to the palpitations the Veteran experienced in service.

(b.) Whether the Veteran’s palpitations are at least as likely as not proximately due to the service-connected hypertension or aortic aneurism.  

(c.) Whether the Veteran’s palpitations are at least as likely as not aggravated beyond their natural progression by the service-connected hypertension or aortic aneurism.

The examiner must provide all findings, along with a complete rationale for his or her opinion(s) in the examination report.  If any of the above requested opinions cannot be made without resort to speculation, the examiner must state this and provide a rationale for such conclusion.

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2. If upon completion of the above action any benefit sought on appeal remains denied, the case should be returned to the Board after compliance with appellate procedure.

 

 

D. Martz Ames

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

Attorney for the Board	A. Rocktashel, Counsel

The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential, and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.