Citation Nr: 18149305
Decision Date: 11/09/18	Archive Date: 11/09/18

DOCKET NO. 15-39 908
DATE:	November 9, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to service connection for peripheral vascular disease of the bilateral lower extremities is remanded.  
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty in the United States Air Force from December 1966 to August 1970.  
This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a February 2014 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Wichita, Kansas.
In October 2018, the Veteran appeared and testified at a videoconference Board hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge.  
The Veteran maintains that he is entitled to service connection for peripheral vascular disease of the bilateral lower extremities.  He has claimed that this disability was either caused by exposure to herbicide agents while he was in service at a Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand, or was due to the leg cramps that he experienced in service.  
Regarding analysis under direct service connection, the Board notes that there is an indication of leg cramps in the Veteran’s July 1970 separation examination.  The Veteran also reported the leg cramps in his separation report of medical history and an examining physician indicated that the Veteran occasionally experienced leg cramps when exercising.  
Further, the medical evidence of record reflects a current diagnosis of peripheral vascular disease of the bilateral lower extremities; thus, establishing a current disability for this claim.  A review of the record indicates that the Veteran has not been provided a VA examination for his peripheral vascular disease, and in light of his in-service reports of leg cramps, the Board finds that a VA opinion is warranted to determine the nature and etiology of his currently diagnosed peripheral vascular disease.  See McClendon v. Nicholson, 20 Vet. App. 79 (2006); see also 38 U.S.C. § 5103A(d)(2); 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(c)(4)(i).  
Accordingly, the matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Obtain and associate with the Veteran’s claims file any outstanding VA treatment records related to the Veteran’s claim.  
2. Schedule an appropriate VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s peripheral vascular disease of the bilateral lower extremities.  
Following a review of the claims file, the examiner should identify any currently diagnosed bilateral lower extremity peripheral vascular disease and provide an opinion on the following:
Whether it is at least as likely as not (a 50 percent probability or greater) that the Veteran’s currently diagnosed peripheral vascular disease of the bilateral lower extremities, was caused or aggravated by the reported leg cramps in service.  
A complete rationale for all opinions must be provided.
 
H.M. WALKER
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	Angeline DeChiara, Associate Counsel