Citation Nr: 21028840 Decision Date: 05/12/21 Archive Date: 05/12/21 DOCKET NO. 18-00 694 DATE: May 12, 2021 REMANDED Service connection for hypertension is remanded. Service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from June 2008 to July 2009. This matter comes to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a December 2014 rating decision of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The Veteran testified before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge at a hearing in October 2019. The Board remanded the issues on appeal in January 2020. 1. Service connection for hypertension is remanded. 2. Service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is remanded. As noted, the Board remanded the claims in January 2020. The Board directed the RO to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension and afford the Veteran an examination to discern any hearing loss disability and obtain an opinion regarding the etiology of any disability found therein. In February 2020, the RO noted unsuccessful attempts to call and mail the Veteran a letter regarding such examinations. The Board notes that there is no notification letter in the claims file showing that address to which any mailed notice was sent. In addition, the Board notes that separate February 2020 correspondence to the Veteran was returned. In March 2020 VA Form 21-0820, the Veteran called regarding the missed examinations. The Veteran indicated that he had not received notification about the scheduled examination. The report of general information noted a prior January 2020 VA Form 27-0820 wherein the Veteran requested rescheduling of a VA examination; however, this was related to a PTSD claim. See January 2020 exam request; January 2020 exam scheduling request cancellation. Finally, the Veteran indicated that he was currently suffering through a family emergency as his fiancée had been shot in the head. The Veteran indicated that the best means of contacting him was electronic mail. In March 2020, the RO unsuccessfully attempted to reach the Veteran by phone, not email, regarding the scheduled examinations. Further, an internal exam scheduling request in March 2020 reflects an incorrect address. The record contains insufficient documentation to conclude that the Veteran did not cooperate with rescheduling the VA examinations as noted in the March 2020 supplemental statement of the case, or that proper notification of the scheduled examinations was received by the Veteran. Therefore, remand is warranted, and the Veteran should be provided with another opportunity to attend a VA examination. Finally, the Board notes that the January 2020 remand directed the RO to obtain an opinion, not an examination, as to hypertension. To the extent the Veteran failed to appear for any examination, the failure to appear is immaterial as an examination was not requested by the Board. Because the requested addendum opinion was not obtained, the case must be remanded to comply with the Board's directive. See Stegall v. West, 11 Vet. App. 268, 271 (1998). The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Obtain an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hypertension. The examiner should review the claims file, including a copy of the January 2020 Remand. a) The examiner should indicate whether the Veteran has a current diagnosis of hypertension. If the examiner finds that there is no current disability, the examiner should reconcile this finding with the prior diagnosis of record. b) For any current diagnosis of hypertension, the examiner should opine as to whether it is at least as likely as not that such had onset in service, manifested to a compensable degree within one year of service discharge, or is otherwise related to his active service. The examiner should consider the in-service assessment of systemic hypertension and borderline hypertension. c) The examiner should also opine as to whether it is at least as likely as not that any current hypertension is proximately due to or aggravated beyond its natural progression by service-connected PTSD. A full rationale should be provided. 2. Schedule the Veteran for an examination by an audiologist to determine the nature and etiology of any bilateral hearing loss. If an in-person examination cannot be conducted, an addendum opinion should be obtained based on the evidence of record. The examiner should review the claims file, including a copy of the January 2020 Remand. The examiner should indicate whether the Veteran has a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes. If such a disability is found, the examiner should opine as to whether it is at least as likely as not that such onset in service, manifested to a compensable degree within one year of service discharge, or is otherwise related to his active service, including his credible report of excessive noise exposure therein. A complete rationale for each of the requested opinions should be provided. D. JOHNSON Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board K. Vuong, 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.