Citation Nr: 21022191 Decision Date: 04/15/21 Archive Date: 04/15/21 DOCKET NO. 16-15 178 DATE: April 15, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for vitiligo is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for trigeminal neuralgia is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from November 1982 to November 1986. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from an August 2014 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The issues were previously before the Board in July 2019 and December 2020, where they were remanded for additional development, and now return for further adjudication. The Veteran testified before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge in March 2019. While the Board sincerely regrets further delay, the claims must once again be remanded. In its July 2019 remand directives, the Board instructed the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) to develop the claims for specified private treatment records and to afford the Veteran and his representative an opportunity to authorize the release of any other private treatment records the Veteran wishes VA to review. Thereafter, the Veteran’s representative submitted VA Form 21-4142a, Authorization to Disclose Information, in October 2020 for VA to obtain his treatment records at Emerson Hospital and from Dr. M.D., from May 28, 1961 to present. Additionally, the Veteran’s representative requested that the RO obtain the Veteran’s VA treatment records from the Boston VA Healthcare System and from the Bedford VA Medical Center (VAMC). As the Board noted in its most previous remand in December 2020, while treatment records from Dr. M.D. had been obtained, the record indicated that the AOJ was still in the process of pursuing medical records from Emerson Hospital. Additionally, the Board noted that, due to unstable housing, the Veteran had likely not received a copy of a September 2020 Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) that was returned as undeliverable to a [REDACTED] address in [REDACTED], Massachusetts. Thus, the claims were remanded in December 2020 for the AOJ to obtain updated VA treatment records, complete the process of obtaining the private records from Emerson Hospital, and to verify the Veteran’s current mailing address prior to resending the September 2020 SSOC. Review of the record since the Board’s last remand indicates that additional VA treatment records have been obtained, and the Veteran’s current mailing address, now on [REDACTED], was verified. His September 2020 SSOC was resent in February 2021 and has not been returned as undeliverable as of the date of this decision. Additionally, it appears that, just prior to the issuance and mailing of the Board’s last remand, VA notified the Veteran in a December 8, 2020 correspondence that it was unable to obtain medical records from Emerson Hospital, possibly due to issues arising from the Novel Coronavirus pandemic. This correspondence provided information as to how to request an extension of time in order for the Veteran to obtain these records himself. However, this correspondence was sent to the Veteran’s previous, incorrect address on [REDACTED], and the record does not reflect that it has been resent. There is also no indication on the face of this correspondence that the Veteran’s representative received a copy. Thus, while it has not been returned as undeliverable, the Board assumes that neither the Veteran nor his representative received notification regarding the absence of records from Emerson Hospital, and remand is regrettably necessary once again. Further, while the Veteran’s attorney was copied on a January 2021 letter that was mailed to the Veteran’s incorrect address, as the case must be remanded an additional attempt should be made to obtain treatment records from the offices of Dr. G Stanton and Dr. M. Donald from the Veteran’s attorney. The matter is therefore REMANDED for the following action: 1. Obtain the Veteran’s updated VA treatment records from the Boston VA Healthcare System and from the Bedford VA Medical Center. 2. Continue efforts to obtain the Veteran’s private treatment records from Emerson Hospital. If no response is received, ensure that the Veteran and his representative receive such notification. (Continued on the next page)   3. The Veteran’s attorney should again be asked to submit the Veteran’s treatment records from the offices of Dr. G. Stanton and Dr. M. Donald that he reported having in his possession during the March 26, 2019 hearing. P.M. DILORENZO Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board R. Scarduzio, 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.