Citation Nr: 21075104
Decision Date: 12/17/21	Archive Date: 12/17/21

DOCKET NO. 20-29 049
DATE:  December 17, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, coronary artery bypass graft with ventricular arrhythmia (coronary artery disease) prior to February 26, 2020, is remanded.

Entitlement to a rating in excess of 60 percent for coronary artery disease beginning February 26, 2020, is remanded.

Entitlement to an initial compensable rating for surgical chest scars is remanded. 

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran had active naval service from September 1965 to April 1969.

This case comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a January 2019 rating decision issued by a Regional Office (RO) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The Board finds that additional development is necessary before the claims on appeal are decided.

In a December 2020 letter, the Veteran's attorney indicated that he had additional evidence to submit, including authorizations to obtain updated private treatment records. He requested that the Board remand the claims for additional development, including assistance in obtaining outstanding private treatment records and in scheduling new VA examinations to fully consider recent treatment. Under these circumstances, the Board finds that a remand is warranted so that the requested development can be accomplished. 

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

1. Identify and obtain any pertinent, outstanding VA and private treatment records and associate them with the claims file. 

2. Then, schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination to determine the current level of severity of all impairment resulting from his service-connected coronary artery disease. The claims file must be made available to and reviewed by the examiner. All indicated tests should be performed and all findings should be reported in detail. The examiner should provide all information required for rating purposes and describe the effects of the service-connected disability on the Veteran's ordinary activity.

3. Then, schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination to determine the current level of severity of all impairment resulting from his service-connected surgical chest scars. The claims file must be made available to and reviewed by the examiner. All indicated tests should be performed and all findings should be reported in detail. The examiner should provide all information required for rating purposes and describe the effects of the service-connected disability on the Veteran's ordinary activity.

4. Confirm that the VA examination reports and all opinions provided comport with this remand and undertake any other development found to be warranted.

5. Then, readjudicate the issues on appeal. If a decision is adverse to the Veteran, issue a supplemental statement of the case and allow appropriate time for response. Then, return the case to the Board. 

 

 

Kristin Haddock

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	S. Mishalanie, 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.