Citation Nr: 18160951 Decision Date: 12/28/18 Archive Date: 12/28/18 DOCKET NO. 16-11 298A DATE: December 28, 2018 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for the residuals of a ruptured right Achilles tendon is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran had active service from May 1996 to July 2006. The Veteran also attended the Air Force Academy prior to his active service. This matter is before the Board of Veteran Appeals (Board) on appeal from a December 2013 rating decision by a Regional Office (RO) for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) which denied service connection for the residuals of a ruptured right Achilles tendon. The Veteran did not indicate whether he elected or declined a hearing through his Form 9 filing. A letter was sent to the Veteran in April 2016 to determine if he elected or declined to have a hearing before the Board. There has been no response to that letter as of this date. 1. Entitlement to service connection for the residuals of a ruptured Achilles tendon is remanded. The Veteran has filed a claim for service connection for the residuals of a ruptured right Achilles tendon. The Veteran provided medical documentation of an injury sustained while he was a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy. This medical documentation indicates that he was injured while playing rugby in 1995. He asserts that the injury sustained while in service caused his Achilles tendon to rupture in 2012. The Veteran underwent VA examination in October 2013 and the examiner opined that the ruptured right Achilles tendon injury was less likely than not incurred or caused by service. The examiner noted in his review of the relevant medical history that the Veteran sustained an injury to his heel in October 1998. The examiner also considered a medical record from the 1995 rugby injury noted above and indicated that this record was provided to him by the Veteran. The examiner indicated this was a private medical record, when it was a part of the Veteran’s Service Treatment Records (STRs) from his time at the Air Force Academy. The examiner indicated the 1995 rugby injury was an injury to the right calf and there was no clear documentation of an Achilles tendon injury at that time. However, he failed to discuss the significance of the snapping sensation described by the Veteran and that he was seen after the injury for Achilles strengthening mentioned by the 1995 medical record. Finally, the examiner indicated the Veteran did not see a physician for the 1995 injury and was seen by a physical therapist. The Board notes the 1995 record shows he was seen by an orthopedic surgeon for a physical therapy consultation. Based on the Veteran having to provide the 1995 medical report to the examiner the Board believes the examination was conducted without a full review of the Veteran’s STRs. In addition, the lack of discussion of relevant items, specifically the snapping sensation and Achilles strengthening indicate that the examination is inadequate to adjudicate the Veteran’s claim. When VA undertakes to provide an exam, it must be adequate to evaluate the Veteran’s condition. Barr v. Nicholson, 21 Vet. App. 303 (2007). Accordingly, the Board will remand for further development and to provide the Veteran with a new examination. There are no VA treatment records associated with the claims file and the last Compensation and Pension examination is from January 2015.   The matter is REMANDED for the following action: 1. The AOJ should undertake appropriate development to obtain any outstanding service personnel records, service treatment records and post-service treatment records, including records from the Veteran’s attendance at the Air Force Academy. 2. After the above development has been completed, and after any records obtained have been associated with the evidentiary record, the Veteran should be afforded a VA examination with an appropriate examiner to determine the nature and cause of his Achilles tendon disability. The evidentiary record, including a copy of this remand, must be made available to and reviewed by the examiner. The examination report must include a notation that this record review took place. After the record review, and a thorough examination and interview of the Veteran, the VA examiner should offer his/her opinion with supporting rationale as to the following inquiries: a. is it at least as likely as not (i.e. probability of 50 percent or greater) that the Veteran’s current Achilles tendon disability was either incurred in, or is otherwise related to, the Veteran’s service to include his time at the Air Force Academy. i. The examiner should specifically address the October 1995 injury to the Veteran’s calf and the report of a snapping sensation and Achilles strengthening noted in the Veteran’s records. ii. The October 1998 injury to the Veteran’s heel. b. Whether the Veteran’s Achilles tendon rupture was caused or aggravated any other service connected disability. The examiner should be provided a list of the Veteran’s service connected disabilities should be provided to the examiner. A complete rationale should be offered for each opinion. MARJORIE A. AUER Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD J. Middleton, Associate Counsel