Citation Nr: 18143919
Decision Date: 10/22/18	Archive Date: 10/22/18

DOCKET NO. 15-25 286
DATE:	October 22, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to service connection for celiac disease is remanded.
Entitlement to service connection for bipolar disorder, multiple personality disorder, or any other psychiatric condition is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty in the U.S. Army from August 9, 1985 to September 3, 1986. 
In a May 2013 statement in support of claim, the Veteran indicated that he authorized the VA to review his Army medical history showing the degeneration of his mental state. He further identified other records that he believed were relevant, including those from Health East Care System Minnessotta, Hennepin County Minnessotta Social Services, and Boulder County Colorado Social Services. He indicated that these entities had provided information to the Social Security Administration (SSA) when he applied for social security disability insurance (SSDI). The record includes two disability reports from SSA. The reports reflect the names of medical treatment providers; however, they do not include any actual medical records. Remand is necessary to attempt to obtain the records identified by the Veteran.
The matters are REMANDED for the following actions:
1. Contact SSA and secure for the record copies of all medical records considered as well as the determination rendered in his claim for SSA disability benefits. If such records are unavailable, the reason for their unavailability must be explained for the record.
2. If the attempt to obtain the records identified by the Veteran (Health East Care System Minnesota, Hennepin County Minnesota Social Services, and Boulder County Colorado Social Services) through SSA is not successful, ask the Veteran to complete a VA Form 21-4142 for each of these facilities. Make two requests for the authorized records from these facilities, unless it is clear after the first request that a second request would be futile.
3. If the records reflect a current diagnosis of any psychiatric condition at any time during the period on appeal, schedule the Veteran for an examination by an appropriate clinician to determine the nature and etiology of any psychiatric condition. 
(a.) The examiner must identify all current psychiatric conditions.
(b.) For each psychiatric condition, the examiner must indicate whether the condition clearly and unmistakably pre-existed service.
(c.) If so, is there clear and unmistakable (obvious, manifest, or undebatable) evidence that the pre-existing psychiatric condition was not aggravated beyond the natural progression of the condition by service?  The term “aggravated” in this context refers to a permanent worsening of the underlying condition, as contrasted to temporary or intermittent flare-ups of symptomatology which resolve with return to the baseline level of disability.   
(d.) If the examiner finds that any psychiatric condition either did not clearly and unmistakably pre-exist service, or was not clearly and unmistakably aggravated by service, the examiner must opine whether it is at least as likely as not related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.
4. If the records reflect a current diagnosis of celiac disease at any time during the period on appeal, schedule the Veteran for an examination by an appropriate clinician to determine the nature and etiology of his celiac disease. The examiner must opine whether it is at least as likely as not related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.
 
A. ISHIZAWAR
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	R.Vemulapalli, Associate Counsel