Citation Nr: 18151365
Decision Date: 11/16/18	Archive Date: 11/16/18

DOCKET NO. 16-32 232
DATE:	November 16, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to service connection for asthma, also claimed as lung scarring, as secondary to bronchitis is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran had active military service from September 1983 to November 1987, from November 1996 to December 1996, from January 2003 to March 2004, and from November 2004 to August 2005. 
This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a May 2014 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
This appeal has been advanced on the Board’s docket pursuant to 38 C.F.R. § 20.900(c).  38 U.S.C. § 7107(a)(2) (2012).
The appeal is REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ).  VA will notify the appellant if further action is required on her part.
 

Entitlement to service connection for asthma, to include secondary to bronchitis, also claimed as lung scarring, is remanded.
The Veteran contends that her service-connected bronchitis, also claimed as lung scarring, caused her asthma. 
In, the Veteran was afforded VA examinations in March 2014 and April 2016.   In April 2016, the VA examiner determined that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of chronic bronchitis or asthma.  The VA examiner opined that the Veteran’s asthma was less likely than not (less than 50 percent probability) incurred in or caused by the claimed in-service injury, event, or illness, and explained that “[t]here is no documentation I can find in the form of [pulmonary function tests] to make this diagnosis, as they all indicate normal spirometry as does todays.”
VA treatment records as recent as this year indicate the Veteran has continued to receive treatment for chronic asthma.  In addition, the VA examiner did not provide an aggravation opinion as to whether currently diagnosed asthma was aggravated by service-connected bronchitis.  Therefore, the Board finds that a remand is necessary for a VA medical opinion to clarify the diagnosis of asthma and opine as to whether or not the Veteran’s asthma is aggravated by service-connected bronchitis.  
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Copies of updated treatment records should be obtained and added to the record.
2. Once all outstanding records have been obtained and associated with the claims file, the Veteran should be scheduled for a VA examination to clarify whether the Veteran has a diagnosis of asthma and, if asthma is diagnosed, to address its etiology, to include as secondary to service-connected bronchitis.  The electronic claims file must be made available to, and pertinent documents therein reviewed by, the examiner.  The examiner must note such review in the examination report.  
Based upon a review of the relevant evidence of record and an examination of the Veteran the VA examiner is asked to offer the following opinions:
a. Is it at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability) that the Veteran’s asthma was (i) caused or (ii) aggravated by the service-connected bronchitis? 
b. If the opinion is that the service-connected bronchitis aggravated the asthma the VA examiner should specify, so far as possible, the degree of disability resulting from such aggravation.
A thorough explanation must be provided for the opinions rendered.  If the examiner cannot provide the requested opinions without resorting to speculation, he or she should expressly indicate this and provide a 
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supporting rationale as to why the opinion(s) cannot be made without resorting to speculation.
 
BARBARA B. COPELAND
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	H. Yoo, Counsel