Citation Nr: 21077480 Decision Date: 12/29/21 Archive Date: 12/29/21 DOCKET NO. 16-24 694A DATE: December 29, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for hypertensive vascular disease is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served active duty in the United States Army from October 1978 to October 1981. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) from a January 2015 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in St. Petersburg, Florida. A hearing was held in this matter before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge (VLJ) in March 2019 and a copy of the transcript is in the record. The matter was previously remanded by the Board in August 2019 and July 2021 for additional development and has now returned for further appellate review. Entitlement to service connection for hypertensive vascular disease is remanded. Pursuant to the July 2021 Board remand, the Veteran received a VA examination regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed hypertensive vascular disease in October 2021. The examiner noted that the Veteran was diagnosed with hypertension in June 2009 in the Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) portion of the examination report. However, in the Medical Opinion portion of the examination report, the examiner stated that "the veteran has no history of hypertensive vascular disease." The examiner failed to provide any explanation for the internal inconsistencies in the report. Accordingly, the Board finds that remand is warranted to address these inconsistencies. The matter is REMANDED for the following action: 1. Schedule the Veteran for a VA examination by a physician with sufficient expertise to address the etiology claimed hypertensive vascular disease. The examiner should specifically address whether the Veteran has, or has had during the pendency of the appeal, a diagnosis of hypertensive vascular disease and address any conflicting diagnoses within previous examination reports. Following a review of the relevant records and lay statements, the examiner(s) should state an opinion with respect to whether the claimed conditions are at least as likely as not (a 50 percent probability or greater) either directly related to military service or proximately due to or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, to include his service-connected migraine condition. The examiner should state an opinion regarding whether the headaches associated with the Veteran's diagnosed hypertensive vascular disease are separate and distinct from or are etiologically related to his service-connected migraine condition. The examiner(s) must specifically address the Veteran's reports relative to the etiology of the claimed disabilities. If an examiner is unable to provide any required opinion, he or she should explain why. If an examiner cannot provide an opinion without resorting to mere speculation, he or she shall provide a complete explanation as to why this is so. T. REYNOLDS Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board D. Gorum, 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.