Citation Nr: 20006181
Decision Date: 01/24/20	Archive Date: 01/24/20

DOCKET NO. 19-06 010
DATE: January 24, 2020

REMANDED

Entitlement to a compensable rating for costochondritis is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from November 1995 to October 2009.

The Veteran was last afforded a VA examination in May 2016.  In both her December 2016 Notice of Disagreement and her March 2019 VA Form 9, the Veteran asserted that her costochondritis had increased in severity since she was last examined by VA.  The Veteran's VA treatment records show that she was treated in the emergency department on at least two occasions for severe chest pain since her last VA examination.  See VA treatment records dated in October 2017 and February 2019.  An August 2019 private treatment record also indicates that the Veteran's condition has resulted in some additional functional limitation.  The Veteran should therefore be provided an opportunity to report for a VA examination to ascertain the current severity and manifestations of her costochondritis.

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

1. Schedule the Veteran for an examination by an appropriate clinician to determine the current severity of her service-connected costochondritis.  The examiner should provide a full description of the disability and report all signs and symptoms necessary for evaluating the Veteran’s disability under the rating criteria.  

2. Then readjudicate the claim.  If any benefit sought is not granted, the Veteran and her representative should be furnished an SSOC and given the requisite opportunity to respond before the case is returned to the Board.

 

 

DONNIE R. HACHEY

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

Attorney for the Board	E. Mine, Associate Counsel

The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential, and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.