Citation Nr: 18149465
Decision Date: 11/09/18	Archive Date: 11/09/18

DOCKET NO. 16-37 736
DATE:	November 9, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to a rating greater than 10 percent for mid-back spasms is remanded.
Entitlement to a compensable rating for left hip tendinopathy, extension, is remanded.
Entitlement to a compensable rating for right hip tendinopathy, extension, is remanded.
Entitlement to a rating greater than 10 percent for left hip abductor tendinopathy is remanded.
Entitlement to a rating greater than 10 percent for right hip abductor tendinopathy is remanded.
Entitlement to a rating greater than 10 percent for left knee degenerative joint disease is remanded.
Entitlement to a rating greater than 10 percent for right knee degenerative joint disease is remanded.
Entitlement to a compensable rating for herpes simplex virus 1 is remanded.
Entitlement to a rating greater than 10 percent for carpal tunnel syndrome is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from October 2008 to October 2013.
These matters come before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from December 2013 and March 2014 rating decisions of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Remand is warranted for two reasons.
First, VA added VA treatment records to the Veteran's claims file after the June 2016 Statement of the Case, and it did not readjudicate the claims based upon this new information.
Second, these VA treatment records, when combined with the Veteran's statements in the July 2016 VA Form 9 and the Veteran's representative's statement in the June 2018 Informal Hearing Presentation, suggest that the Veteran's disabilities have worsened since VA examined him in October 2013 and February 2014 for the issues above.  Therefore, remand is warranted for new VA examinations to determine the current severity of his disabilities before the Board can adjudicate the appeal. 
The matters are REMANDED for the following action:
1. Attempt to obtain all VA treatment records from the Dallas VAMC and Fort Worth OPC since October 1, 2017 (the date of the last records in the claims file).
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2. Schedule the Veteran for compensation examinations to determine the current severity of the 9 issues listed on the title page above.
 
KELLI A. KORDICH
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	M. Sopko, Counsel