Citation Nr: 21075305 Decision Date: 12/20/21 Archive Date: 12/20/21 DOCKET NO. 17-51 056 DATE: December 20, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for hypertension is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from February 1966 to January 1968. These matters come before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from an August 2013 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). These matters were previously remanded the Board in March 2019. This appeal has been advanced on the Board's docket pursuant to 38 C.F.R. § 20.900(c). 38 U.S.C. § 7107(a)(2). 1. Entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded. 2. Entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is remanded. 3. Entitlement to service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) is remanded. 4. Entitlement to service connection for hypertension is remanded. 5. Entitlement to service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is remanded. Pursuant to the Board's March 2019 remand, the RO was instructed to obtain the Veteran's private and prison treatment records. In an October 2019 development letter, the RO requested that the Veteran complete authorization and release forms so that VA could obtain such records. The Veteran submitted the forms but failed to list his treatment providers. However, the RO failed to notify the Veteran that his form was incomplete, or make any attempts to contact the Veteran so to afford him another opportunity to correctly complete the appropriate forms; the Board finds that such lack of correspondence and communication with the Veteran violates the VA's duty to assist, and as such, remand is required to make another attempt to acquire the Veteran's private and prison treatment records on remand. Additionally, with regards to the Veteran's claimed CAD and hypertension, the Veteran has repeatedly asserted that such conditions are due to the stress of operating around 52-ton tanks during service. The Veteran has current diagnoses of CAD and hypertension as shown on his VA treatment records. However, the Veteran has not undergone VA examination in connection with his claims. Accordingly, the Board finds that the Veteran should be provided VA examinations and opinions should be obtained to determine the etiology of his CAD and hypertension. See McLendon v. Nicholson, 20 Vet. App. 79 (2006). Updated treatment records should also be obtained upon remand. The matters are REMANDED for the following actions: 1. Ask the Veteran to provide the names and addresses of all medical care providers, including the prison he was incarcerated in for a two-year period, who have recently treated him for his claimed disabilities. After securing any necessary releases, the AOJ should request any relevant records identified. In addition, obtain updated VA treatment records. If any requested records are unavailable, the Veteran and his representative should be notified of such. 2. Schedule the Veteran for a VA heart examination to determine the nature of his CAD and to obtain an opinion as to whether such is possibly related to service. The claims file should be reviewed by the examiner in conjunction with the examination. All necessary tests should be conducted, and the results reported. Following review of the claims file and examination of the Veteran, the examiner should provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or greater) that the current CAD arose during service or is otherwise related to service. Please explain why or why not, to include addressing the Veteran's lay assertions. 3. Schedule the Veteran for a VA hypertension examination to determine the nature of his hypertension and to obtain an opinion as to whether such is possibly related to service. The claims file should be reviewed by the examiner in conjunction with the examination. All necessary tests should be conducted, and the results reported. Following review of the claims file and examination of the Veteran, the examiner should provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or greater) that the current hypertension arose during service or is otherwise related to service. Please explain why or why not, to include addressing the Veteran's lay assertions. Zi-Heng Zhu Acting Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board S. Medina 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.