Citation Nr: 21025574 Decision Date: 04/28/21 Archive Date: 04/28/21 DOCKET NO. 15-24 487 DATE: April 28, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral foot disability is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from March 1985 to June 1992. This matter came before the Board of Veterans Appeals (Board) on appeal from a May 2013 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The Veteran testified before the undersigned Veteran’s Law Judge during an August 2018 hearing. The transcript of the hearing is of record. A February 2019 Board decision reopened the claim for service connection for a left ankle disability and a bilateral foot disability and remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for the left ankle and bilateral foot disabilities for further development. A June 2020 rating decision granted service connection for left ankle tendonitis. As this constituted a complete grant of the benefit sought on appeal, it is not before the Board. A November 2020 Board decision remanded the issue on appeal for further development. 1. Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral foot disability The Board’s review shows that there may be outstanding relevant private treatment records. At the August 2018 Board hearing, the Veteran stated that she received all of her treatment at the VA. However, VA treatment records added to the file in December 2020 indicate that the Veteran received private podiatry treament in the past. February 2004 VA treatment records noted that the Veteran had seen “numerous podiatrists” and April 2004 VA treatment records noted that in addition to VA treatment the Veteran had seen a Kaiser podiatrist. A remand is required to allow VA to obtain authorization and request these records. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Ask the Veteran to complete a VA Form 21-4142 for her Kaiser podiatrist as well as any other private provider who treated her bilateral foot disability. Make two requests for the authorized records from all identified providers unless it is clear after the first request that a second request would be futile. 2. If additional private treatment records are received after the development in (1), obtain an addendum opinion from the provider who provided the November 2020 VA examination regarding the etiology of the Veteran’s bilateral foot disability. If the November 2020 examiner is not available, the opinion should be rendered by an appropriate provider. The provider should review the file and provide a complete rationale for all opinions expressed. The opinion should address the significance of any evidence added to the claim file and indicate whether the Veteran’s bilateral foot disability is as least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability) related to the Veteran’s active service. 3. If upon completion of the above action the appeal remains denied, the case should be returned to the Board after compliance with appellate procedures. E. I. VELEZ Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board A. Arnold 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.