Citation Nr: 21023779
Decision Date: 04/21/21	Archive Date: 04/21/21

DOCKET NO. 17-45 818
DATE: April 21, 2021

REMANDED

Service connection for hypertension is remanded. 

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from July 1976 to December 1978. 

The Veteran contends that hypertension is secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder. In a June 2014 decision, the Board denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU), as well as service connection for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder. In May 2020, the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Court) found that a medical opinion was required to determine the etiology of the Veteran’s psychiatric disorder. As the issues of TDIU and service connection for hypertension were inextricably intertwined to the psychiatric disorder, the Court remanded all three issues to the Board for further development. 

In October 2020, the Board remanded the three claims in compliance with the Court’s order. Following a medical opinion, a February 2021 rating decision granted entitlement to TDIU and service connection for a psychiatric disorder. However, no medical opinion was obtained as to the etiology of hypertension and the claim remained denied. The Veteran has asserted in his December 2016 notice of disagreement that his hypertension is secondary to his psychiatric disorder. To date, no etiological opinion has been obtained. Accordingly, a remand is warranted to determine the etiology of hypertension. 

The matter is REMANDED for the following actions:

1. Identify and obtain any outstanding, pertinent, VA and private treatment records and associate them with the claims file. 

2. Schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his hypertension disorder. The claims file should be made available to, and reviewed by, the clinician. Any indicated studies should be performed.  

The examiner is then asked to provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or greater) that hypertension is proximately due to, or aggravated beyond its natural progression by, the Veteran’s service-connected psychiatric disability. 

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The examiner is asked to consider and address any medical article submitted by the Veteran in rendering an opinion. 

A thorough rationale is required for any opinion rendered.

 

 

M. YACOUB

Acting Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

Attorney for the Board	T. Kokolas, 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.