Citation Nr: 18158202
Decision Date: 12/14/18	Archive Date: 12/14/18

DOCKET NO. 13-00 277
DATE:	December 14, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a claim involving the Veteran’s tinea pedis is remanded. 
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran had active service from November 1972 to September 1974. 
This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a March 2012 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  
VA performed a right 5th distal phalangectomy on the Veteran on November 9, 2001.  The Veteran claims that he developed additional disability because of the procedure.  He does not claim that VA erred during the phalangectomy.  Instead, he claims, as seen in his June 2012 Notice of Disagreement, that he would not have developed tinea pedis if VA had arranged for him to convalesce at somewhere other than the homeless shelter at which he resided after the surgery.  
Before the Board can adjudicate the appeal, it requires additional VA treatment records.  Specifically, a November 6, 2001 treatment record (three days prior to the phalangectomy) shows the Veteran's foot had "flaky, scaly skin."  It is necessary to know the nature of his skin, especially as the available records show the phalangectomy was originally planned for October 2001.  Therefore, remand is warranted to obtain earlier VA treatment records to determine if the tinea pedis predated his phalangectomy.   
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Attempt to obtain all available VA treatment records from the Richmond, VA VAMC prior to November 1, 2001.
2. After obtaining these records, determine what, if any, development is warranted and conduct such development.
 
KELLI A. KORDICH
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	M. Sopko, Counsel