Citation Nr: 18144396
Decision Date: 10/24/18	Archive Date: 10/24/18

DOCKET NO. 17-64 846
DATE:	October 24, 2018
REMANDED
Special monthly compensation based upon the need for aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(l), is remanded.
 
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from February 1983 to February 2003, with additional inactive duty for training service.
This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a May 2017 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Winston Salem, North Carolina. 
Special monthly compensation based upon the need for aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(l),is remanded.
This issue is remanded to obtain outstanding medical records. 
Specifically, the available VA medical records show that the Veteran was approved for Home Health Aide (HHA) services in July 2016 for activities of daily living (ADLs) and custodial care after a July 2016 reversal of gastric bypass procedure.  According to the VA medical records, that initial procedure was performed at Womack Army Medical Hospital (AMH) in 2008 and the reversal in July 2016.  This appears to have through a contract with VA.  This indicates that there are significant medical records pertinent to her treatment through Womack AMH, which might bear directly on the instant issue as it is not clear to what extent the gastric bypass may be related to a service-connected disability.  Likewise, she stated at a Caregiver Program Clinical Eligibility Assessment at VA in April 2016 that she was seeing Dr. Battiste at Fort Bragg, as her primary care provider.  Finally, the available VA medical records are limited.  A remand is needed to obtain these records.  
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Obtain the Veteran’s federal records from Womack Army Medical Hospital.  Document all requests for information as well as all responses in the claims file.
2. Obtain the Veteran’s outstanding VA treatment, including those prior to and since the 2008 gastric bypass surgery.
 
C. BOSELY
Acting Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	I. Altendorfer, Associate Counsel