Citation Nr: 18145472
Decision Date: 10/29/18	Archive Date: 10/29/18

DOCKET NO. 16-32 758
DATE:	October 29, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to service connection for arthritis is remanded.
Entitlement to service connection for dry eye syndrome is remanded.
Entitlement to service connection for hearing loss is remanded.
Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served honorably with active duty service in the United States Navy from November 1971 through October 1975.
The Veteran seeks service connection for arthritis, dry eye syndrome, hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. While the additional delay is regrettable, further development is required before the appeal can be adjudicated. 
Evidence indicates that there may be outstanding relevant VA treatment records. In an August 2015 Notice of Disagreement and a March 2015 Authorization for Release of Information, the Veteran reported that he received treatment at the Leeds VA medical center, Pittsfield VA medical center/outreach, and the West Haven Eye clinic. The record contains VA medical records, but do not contain any references to the doctors identified by the Veteran, and one entry from Northhampton appears to be an incompete record. Any VA treatment records are within VA’s constructive possession, and are considered potentially relevant to the issues on appeal. A remand is required to allow VA to obtain them.
Additionally, there appear to be records missing from the Veteran’s service treatment records. The file contains some service treatment records, but Veteran’s separation examination does not contain the second examination page that ordinarily records the audiometric data, and the self-report of medical conditions usually accompanying the separation examination is also not associated with the file. The Board finds that further attempts are warranted in order to locate these documents and ensure that the full service records are associated with the file. 
The matters are REMANDED for the following action:
1. Contact the Veteran and request information regarding all treatment he has received for his claimed conditions. Obtain any necessary authorizations for release of information, and request the identified treatment records for the period. Document all actions taken, and associate such documentation with the record.
2. Obtain the Veteran’s complete service personnel records and service treatment records. Attention is drawn specifically to the separation examination of record, which contains appears to be missing the second page.
3. Should any requested federal documents be deemed unavailable, provide the Veteran notice of that fact and allow time for him to submit any documents in his possession in support of his claim.  
4. Undertake any development actions deemed necessary after review of the documentation received.  Notably, the May 2015 VA examiner from the Veteran’s hearing loss examination determined that she could not resolve the issue of etiology without resorting to mere speculation, as the Veteran’s service treatment records did not contain audiometric findings at separation.  
Regardless of whether additional service treatment records are obtained, the AOJ must obtain an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran’s claim for service connection for hearing loss to determined based on the evidence of record whether his current bilateral hearing loss is related to his active service.  
 
Evan M. Deichert
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	T. C. King, Associate Counsel