Citation Nr: 18160268 Decision Date: 12/27/18 Archive Date: 12/26/18 DOCKET NO. 17-15 521 DATE: December 27, 2018 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for dizziness is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for chronic fatigue is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for breathing issues is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for skin rashes is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for headaches is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for sleep disturbance is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for memory problems is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for mood swings is remanded. Entitlement to nonservice-connected pension is remanded.   REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from June 1985 to April 1988, from June 1988 to November 1988, and from July 1991 to September 1992. This appeal comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) from a September 2013 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in St, Petersburg, Florida. VA has been notified that the Veteran is incarcerated. VA has special procedures for handling the scheduling of VA examinations for incarcerated Veterans. The Board acknowledges that VA’s duty to assist incarcerated Veterans requires it to tailor its assistance to meet the peculiar circumstances of confinement; as such individuals are entitled to the same care and consideration given to their fellow veterans. Bolton v. Brown, 8 Vet. App. 185 (1995); Wood v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 190, 193 (1991). VA does not have the authority to require a correctional institution to release a Veteran so that VA can provide him or her the necessary examination at the closest VA medical facility. See 38 U.S.C. § 5711 (2012). Nevertheless, VA’s duty to assist an incarcerated veteran includes: (1) attempting to arrange transportation of the claimant to a VA facility for examination; (2) contacting the correctional facility and having their medical personnel conduct an examination according to VA examination work sheets; or (3) sending a VA or fee-basis examiner to the correctional facility to conduct the examination. Bolton v. Brown, 8 Vet. App. 185, 191 (1995). The record reflects that the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) scheduled multiple VA examinations between June 2012 and July 2013 with VAMC personnel. However, ongoing correspondence indicates that the VA examinations for the Veteran’s claims on appeal were canceled due to the correctional facility being unable to transport the Veteran to his scheduled VAMC examinations. There is no indication or documentation that the AOJ assessed the feasibility of arranging an examination with a fee-basis provider contracted by VHA who could be sent to the correctional facility to conduct the examination, or the feasibility of medical personnel of the correctional facility performing the examination according to VA examination worksheets. Also, the Board finds that the issue of entitlement to non-service connected pension is intertwined with the pending service-connection claims and will defer adjudication of this issue at this time. Finally, the record reflects that in December 2018, the Veteran notified VA that he has been moved to a different correctional facility. The AOJ must ensure that it contacts the Veteran’s current facility with respect to attempting to arrange for examinations to be performed. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Schedule the Veteran for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the claimed breathing issues, chronic fatigue, dizziness, headaches, memory problems, mood swings, PTSD, sleep disturbance, and skin rashes. For each disability identified, the examiner must opine as to whether the disability is at least as likely as not (a degree of probability of 50 percent or higher) related to the Veteran’s military service, to include whether the current disability commenced during the Veteran’s military service. As the Veteran is currently incarcerated, the AOJ should assess the feasibility of scheduling the examinations with a VA fee-basis provider who can be sent to the correctional facility to perform the examinations and the feasibility of having medical personnel from the correctional facility conduct the examinations with appropriate VA examination worksheets. Please note that in December 2018, the Veteran notified VA that he had been moved to a new correctional facility. Please ensure that in attempting to make arrangements for the examinations to be conducted that the new facility is contacted. All indicated tests or studies must be completed. The examiner should describe all findings in detail. Explanatory rationale must be provided for all opinions expressed. If the AOJ is unable to make arrangements for the Veteran to be examined, the AOJ must document in detail all of the steps taken in attempting to do so. M. HYLAND Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD S. Gordon, Associate Counsel