Citation Nr: 21005311
Decision Date: 02/01/21	Archive Date: 02/01/21

DOCKET NO. 07-24 202
DATE: February 1, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a right wrist fracture with degenerative changes and loss of motion is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from January 1975 to July 1976.  This matter is before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from an August 2006 rating decision.  The Veteran testified before the undersigned during a May 2009 hearing.

This matter was most recently before the Board in August 2020, when it was remanded for additional development.

An October 2020 VA examination diagnosed the Veteran with rheumatoid arthritis affecting both wrists.  In the notes regarding this condition, the examiner cited several medical records from 2018 to the present containing reports of joint pain affecting the wrists.  No VA treatment records have been associated with the Veteran’s claims file since March 2017.  VA’s duty to assist requires efforts to ensure all available VA treatment records have been obtained and associated with the claims file.  See 38 U.S.C. § 5103A; 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(c); see also Sullivan v. McDonald, 815 F.3d 786 (Fed. Cir. 2016).  As the record shows the Veteran has received treatment for joint pain in the years since VA treatment records were last added to his file, the Board finds this evidence has potential relevance for the issue on appeal.  A remand is therefore necessary to obtain all outstanding VA treatment records.

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

Obtain the Veteran’s VA treatment records for the period from February 2017 to the present and associate them with his claims file.

 

 

M. HYLAND

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

Attorney for the Board	D. Pitman, 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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.