Citation Nr: 18146191
Decision Date: 10/30/18	Archive Date: 10/30/18

DOCKET NO. 16-27 799
DATE:	October 30, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from November 1986 to March 1991.
This case comes on appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) from a February 2012 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The May 2016 Statement of the Case addressed the issues of entitlement to an increased rating for hammertoes of the right foot and entitlement to a TDIU.  In her June 2016 substantive appeal, the Veteran indicated that she was only appealing the issue of entitlement to a TDIU.  
The most recent VA examinations addressing the severity of the Veteran’s service-connected migraine headaches and hammertoes of the second, third, and fourth toes on the right foot were conducted in 2011.  The Veteran asserted in her June 2016 substantive appeal that these examinations do not reflect the current level of impairment resulting from her service-connected disabilities.  Given that approximately seven years have passed since the most recent VA examinations, the Board finds the claim should be remanded to afford the Veteran another VA examination(s) to assess the current functional impairment associated with her service-connected disabilities.  See Palczewski v. Nicholson, 21 Vet. App. 174, 181-82 (2007); Snuffer v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 400, 403 (1997).
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Obtain the Veteran’s VA treatment records, dated from April 2016 forward.
2. Obtain any outstanding private medical records identified by the Veteran as pertinent to her claim.
3. Thereafter, schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination(s) to assess the current level of severity of her service-connected migraine headaches and hammertoes of the right foot condition.  The Veteran’s claims file, including a copy of this REMAND, must be made available to and reviewed by the examiner(s) in conjunction with the examination(s).  The examiner(s) must note in the examination report(s) that the evidence in the claims file has been reviewed.
The examiner(s) should identify all functional limitations imposed on the Veteran as a consequence of her service-connected migraine headaches and hammertoes of the right foot, to include any functional impairment associated with the medication(s) taken to treat these disabilities. 
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The examiner(s) must provide a comprehensive report(s) including complete rationales for all opinions and conclusions reached.
 
P. M. DILORENZO
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	Denton, Buck