Citation Nr: 18155437
Decision Date: 12/04/18	Archive Date: 12/04/18

DOCKET NO. 16-63 815
DATE:	December 4, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 30 percent disabling for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from March 1979 to March 1982, and from November 1982 to May 2005.
Entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 30 percent disabling for PFB is remanded.
The Board finds that additional development is needed prior to final adjudication of the issue on appeal.  Specifically, the Board finds that a new examination is needed that addresses the Veteran’s contentions of flare-ups.  
The Veteran was provided VA examinations in May 2014 and December 2016 for his service-connected PFB.  The May 2014 examination noted that the disability covers less than 5 percent of the total body area, as well as the exposed area.  By contrast, the December 2016 VA examination reported that 20 to 40 percent of the exposed area was affected.  In his VA Form 9, the Veteran contends that this wide-range is evidence of the fact that his disability presents itself in different forms and is, at times, more severe.  He states that his medications help during the most severe cases.  See VA Form 9, December 2016.  While the December 2016 examiner noted that the Veteran reported weekly flare-ups, with severe flare-ups 3-4 times a month requiring medication, she did not indicate whether the Veteran was experiencing a flare-up at the time of the examination, nor did she describe how a flare-up would affect the covered area.  Accordingly, the Board finds that a new examination is needed that addresses the Veteran’s contentions of flare-ups, so that it may thoroughly assess the present severity of his service-connected disability.
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. After securing any necessary consent forms from the Veteran, obtain any outstanding treatment records, to include any VA and/or private treatment records, pertaining to the issue on appeal.  
All efforts to obtain these records should be documented in the claim file.  If any records could not be obtained, this should be noted in the claim file.
2. Upon completion of the above, schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination that addresses the current severity of the service-connected disability on appeal.  In particular, the examiner is asked to note whether the examination is being conducted during a flare-up.  If not, the examiner is asked to address the how a flare-up may impact the total body area and exposed body area.  The examiner’s opinion should be expressed in percentages.  In addition, the examiner is asked to address whether the Veteran is using constant or near-constant systemic therapy, such as corticosteriods or other immunosuppressive drugs required during the last 12-month period or, alternatively, using such systemic therapy required for a total duration of six weeks or more, but not constantly, during the past 12-month period.
For all examinations, all necessary development should be taken.  The VA examiner should be given access to the claim file.  The examiner should state that a review of the claim file was completed.
The examiner must provide a comprehensive report including complete rationales for all opinions and conclusions reached, citing the objective medical findings leading to the conclusions.
A detailed rationale is requested for all opinions provided.
3. If upon completion of the above action the issue is denied, the case should be returned to the Board after compliance with appellate procedures.
 
E. I. VELEZ
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	K. Foster, Associate Counsel