Citation Nr: 18145060 Decision Date: 10/26/18 Archive Date: 10/25/18 DOCKET NO. 13-10 345 DATE: October 26, 2018 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for jock itch, to include as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus, is remanded. Entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for pes planus is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty with the United States Army from December 1965 to November 1967 and January 1968 to December 1977. These matters are before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a March 2012 rating decision of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The Veteran testified before the Board at a hearing in January 2016. A transcript of the hearing is of record. The Board acknowledges that the Veteran filed a claim for entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) received by VA in February 2018. The Board’s review of the claims file reveals that the AOJ denied the claim in a March 2018 rating decision. The Veteran has yet to file an appeal of the March 2018 decision and the appeal period has yet to expire. As such, the Board will not take any further action on the matter, and it will only be before the Board if the Veteran timely files a substantive appeal after a statement of the case is issued. 1. Entitlement to service connection for jock itch, to include as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus, is remanded. A January 2017 VA treatment note reflects diagnoses of dermatitis to the groin and “tinea cruris.” Further, during the physical examination, the Veteran had a maculary patch to the groin area bilaterally. These diagnoses and the physical examination were not of record when the AOJ denied the Veteran’s claim on the basis of the Veteran not being diagnosed with jock itch. As such, a VA examination and opinion is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s jock itch. 2. Entitlement to rating in excess of 10 percent for pes planus is remanded. The Veteran last underwent a VA examination for his pes planus disability in February 2015. At the February 2015 VA examination, the Veteran did not have characteristic calluses on either foot. A review of the record illustrates that in November 2017 the Veteran reported having painful calluses under his first and fifth metatarsal heads bilaterally. In addition, a March 2018 physical examination at a March 2018 VA appointment reveals the Veteran had slight callouses bilaterally. Given there is an indication of worsening of the Veteran’s disability since the February 2015 VA examination, the Board has determined that the Veteran should be provided an opportunity to report for a VA examination to ascertain the current severity and manifestations of his bilateral pes planus. The matters are REMANDED for the following actions: 1. Obtain and associate with the Veteran’s electronic record VA treatment records from March 2018 to the present. Contact the Veteran and afford him the opportunity to identify or submit any pertinent evidence in support of his claim, to include records of any private treatment. Based on his response, attempt to procure copies of all records which have not been obtained from identified treatment sources. If any of the records requested are unavailable, clearly document the claims file to that effect and notify the Veteran of any inability to obtain these records, in accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(e). 2. After completing the development requested in item 1, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination with an appropriate clinician to assess the etiology of the Veteran’s jock itch. The entire claims file should be made available to the examiner in conjunction with this request. After completing all indicated tests and studies, the examiner is to answer the following questions: A) Is it at least as likely as not (a 50% or greater probability) that the Veteran’s jock itch, diagnosed in January 2017 as dermatitis to the groin and tinea cruris, is related to the Veteran’s service? B) Is it at least as likely as not (a 50% or greater probability) that the Veteran’s jock itch was caused by the Veteran’s service-connected type II diabetes mellitus? C) Is it at least as likely as not (a 50% or greater probability) that the Veteran’s jock itch was aggravated (that is, any increase in severity beyond the natural progress of the condition as shown by comparing the current disability to medical evidence created prior to any aggravation) by the Veteran’s service-connected type II diabetes mellitus? If the Veteran’s current jock itch has been aggravated by his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, the examiner should also indicate the extent of such aggravation by identifying the baseline level of disability. This may be ascertained by the medical evidence of record and by the Veteran’s statements as to the nature, severity, and frequency of his observable symptoms over time. The examiner must fully explain the rationale for all opinions, with citation to supporting clinical data/lay statements, as deemed appropriate. If the examiner cannot provide the requested opinion without resorting to speculation, he or she should expressly indicate this and provide a supporting rationale as to why an opinion cannot be made without resorting to speculation. (Continued on the next page)   3. After completing the development requested in item 1, schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination to evaluate the severity of the Veteran’s pes planus disability. The entire claims file should be made available to the examiner in conjunction with this request. All testing deemed necessary to right ankle degenerative osteophytes under the criteria of the rating schedule must be conducted and the results reported in detail. KEITH W. ALLEN Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD N. Breitbach, Associate Counsel