Citation Nr: 21001161
Decision Date: 01/07/21	Archive Date: 01/07/21

DOCKET NO. 13-31 971
DATE: January 7, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to service connection for Raynaud’s syndrome is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty in the Army from September 1969 to August 1971. This case comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on an appeal from a May 2013 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office. This claim has been before the Board twice now, once in October 2017 and again in May 2019. Both times it was remanded for additional development. 

Unfortunately, additional development is required before the underlying claim can be adjudicated on the merits. 

Entitlement to service connection for Raynaud's syndrome is remanded.

The Veteran appeals the denial of service connection for Raynaud’s syndrome. 

Following the May 2019 Board remand, the Veteran attended a VA examination in November 2020. During this examination, the examiner opined the Veteran’s Raynaud’s syndrome was less likely than not due to herbicide agent exposure. She also opined that the Veteran’s medication, specifically Adderall, is most likely the source of the Veteran’s Raynaud’s syndrome. 

However, the Veteran, through his representative, suggested the Veteran’s Raynaud’s syndrome is secondary to his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Diagnostic Code for Raynaud’s syndrome is 7117, and it notes characteristic attacks may be precipitated by either exposure to cold or by emotional upsets. The Veteran suggests his PTSD and his emotional stress are what trigger his Raynaud’s syndrome. December 2020 Informal Hearing Presentation. There are no medical records addressing whether there is a connection between his Raynaud’s syndrome and his service-connected PTSD. Therefore, the Board remands for an addendum opinion to address the etiology of the Veteran’s Raynaud’s syndrome, and to determine whether it is secondary to his PTSD. 

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

1. Associate with the claims folder updated treatment records. 

2. Obtain an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s Raynaud’s syndrome. The examiner must review the entire claims file, including a copy of this remand.

The examiner is asked to provide responses to the following:

(a.) Whether it is at least as likely as not (a 50 percent or better probability) that the Veteran’s Raynaud’s syndrome was caused by his service-connected PTSD.

(b.) Whether it is at least as likely as not (a 50 percent or better probability) that the Veteran’s Raynaud’s syndrome is aggravated beyond the natural progression of the condition by the service-connected PTSD.

A complete rationale must be provided for all opinions expressed. If the requested opinion cannot be provided without resort to speculation, the examiner should so state and explain why an opinion would be speculative. If the opinion cannot be provided without an examination of the Veteran, an examination should be provided.

 

 

J. B. FREEMAN

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

Attorney for the Board	A. Doerfler, 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.