Citation Nr: 20006448 Decision Date: 01/27/20 Archive Date: 01/27/20 DOCKET NO. 19-21 220 DATE: January 27, 2020 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for hypertension is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty in the United States Navy from April 1968 to January 1972. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from an April 2017 rating decision by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Entitlement to service connection for hypertension. The Veteran contends that his hypertension is due to herbicide exposure during naval service while serving aboard the USS Coral Sea and USS Midway. The record reflects a diagnosis of hypertension. A remand is necessary to determine whether the presumption of herbicide exposure extends to the Veteran’s service under the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 and then whether hypertension is caused by service, to include (if applicable) presumed herbicide exposure. Accordingly, the matter is REMANDED for the following action: 1. Complete all necessary development to make a determination regarding whether the Veteran’s service qualifies for the presumption of herbicide exposure in considering the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019. Associate all development and the determination based on this development in the record. 2. Obtain updated VA treatment records. 3. After the development in directives #1-2 is complete, schedule the Veteran for an examination by an appropriate clinician to determine the nature and etiology of his hypertension. The examiner should review the claims file in its entirety. Afterward, the examiner should provide an opinion as to whether the Veteran’s hypertension is at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability) attributable to service. If herbicide exposure is conceded (pursuant to directive #1), the examiner should address whether hypertension is as least as likely as not due to the presumed herbicide agent exposure.   A complete rationale for all opinions should be provided. If the examiner cannot render an opinion without resorting to mere speculation, a full explanation for why an opinion cannot be rendered should be provided. Nathaniel J. Doan Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board K. Wilson, Associate 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 This decision is not precedential, and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.