Citation Nr: 18159948 Decision Date: 12/20/18 Archive Date: 12/20/18 DOCKET NO. 16-60 486 DATE: December 20, 2018 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a back condition; a bilateral ankle condition; an acquired psychiatric disorder; and a bilateral eye condition is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from July 1986 to January 1989. He served under honorable conditions in the United States Air Force, where he distinguished himself as a military boxer. This matter comes to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a December 2011 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Baltimore, Maryland. The Board notes that there is evidence of record indicating the Veteran has been experiencing homelessness and severe financial hardship; accordingly, this appeal is advanced on the Board’s docket pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 7107 (a)(2) (2012) and 38 C.F.R. 20.900 (c) (2017). Entitlement to service connection for a back condition; a bilateral ankle condition; an acquired psychiatric disorder; and a bilateral eye condition is remanded. Here, the Veteran failed to appear for a VA examination for his back and ankle claims scheduled in December 2011. In January 2012, a letter from the Veteran was added to the claims file in which he stated he did not attend the examination due to travel issues consistent with other evidence of record that he is experiencing homelessness and severe financial hardship. In his letter, he also requested that the examination be rescheduled so that he could attend. Accordingly, the Board finds that the Veteran has shown good cause for his failure to report for the VA examination and concludes that another examination for his back and ankle claims is warranted. See 38 C.F.R. § 3.655. As to the Veteran’s remaining psychiatric and eye claims, he has not been afforded a VA examination for those conditions. The Veteran’s service personnel records show he was an accomplished boxer during his service. The claims file shows he has a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in October 2014; April 1987 service treatment records (STRs) note blurred vision and May 2011 VA treatment records indicate treatment for an eye condition post-service. The Veteran has contended, to include in his November 2016 substantive appeal, that he has had all of these conditions since service and in a letter to VA received in January 2011 he stated that his boxing put him under “extreme stress.” The Board finds that there is insufficient competent medical evidence of record to decide the claims and accordingly a remand for an initial VA examination is warranted. See McLendon v. Nicholson, 20 Vet. App. 79 (2006). The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Please associate with the claims file all outstanding VA and non-VA medical records pertaining to the Veteran’s back, ankle, psychiatric, and eye conditions. 2. After the record has been determined to be complete, please schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination to evaluate the nature and etiology of his back, ankle, psychiatric, and eye conditions. The Veteran has a history of homelessness. If efforts to reach the Veteran are unsuccessful, please obtain medical opinions on the questions below. After reviewing the claims file and examining the Veteran, if possible, the VA examiner should provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (i.e., at least a 50 percent probability) that the Veteran’s back, ankle, psychiatric, and eye conditions are related to any injury, disease or event incurred during his active military service. The Veteran’s verified boxing experience should be considered and discussed as necessary. The examiner should consider and discuss the relevant evidence as necessary. A complete explanation should be provided for all opinions given. If an opinion cannot be provided without resorting to speculation, such should be stated and an explanation as to why this is so given with a note as to what, if any, additional evidence would permit such an opinion to be made. M. C. GRAHAM Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD T. Fales, Associate Counsel