Citation Nr: 18148082
Decision Date: 11/07/18	Archive Date: 11/06/18

DOCKET NO. 18-15 905
DATE:	November 7, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to a compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from June 1971 to September 1973.  
This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from an August 2016 rating decision issued by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).
Entitlement to a compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae is remanded.
The Veteran submitted private medical records and a private disability benefits questionnaire (DBQ) completed by Dr. S.G.  Additionally, an April 2018 VA treatment note indicates treatment by a private dermatologist.  Accordingly, the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) should obtain private treatment records from Dr. S.G. and any other identified private providers. 
The Board acknowledges an August 2018 statement from the Veteran’s representative indicating that the Veteran believes his skin disorder has become more severe than currently rated.  The Board notes that this indicates disagreement with the current rating, not that his service-connected skin disorder has increased in severity since the most recent VA examination.  The Veteran was afforded a VA examination in February 2018 and submitted a private DBQ in March 2018, and the Board finds that the evidence does not demonstrate an increase in severity since.  Accordingly, the Board has not directed that the Veteran be afforded a new VA examination on remand.  
The matter is REMANDED for the following actions:
1. Obtain the Veteran’s VA treatment records for the period from May 2018 to the present.
2. Ask the Veteran to complete a VA Form 21-4142 for Dr. S.G.  Make two requests for the authorized records from Dr. S.G. and any other identified private providers, unless it is clear after the first request that a second request would be futile.
 
Eric S. Leboff
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	J.A. Gelber, Associate Counsel