Citation Nr: 21026958
Decision Date: 05/04/21	Archive Date: 05/04/21

DOCKET NO. 17-03 324
DATE: May 4, 2021

REMANDED

Service connection for a skin disorder of the bilateral hands.

REASONS FOR REMAND

As a procedural matter, the Veteran testified at a May 2019 hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge in connection with this claim.  A copy of the transcript has been associated with the claims file. In February 2020, the Board denied the appeal.  The Veteran appealed to the Veterans Claims Court.  In December 2020, the Court Clerk granted a Joint Motion for Remand (JMR) which vacated the Board's decision.

Pursuant to the JMR, an examination is required to fully consider the Veteran's lay statements and testimony describing in-service cracking and peeling of his hands and address the relationships between all of his diagnosed skin conditions, including both dyshidrotic eczema and tinea manuum, and his service, to include in-service exposure to yellowcake uranium.  Therefore, in accordance with the JMR, further development is required in order to determine the nature and etiology of his skin disorder.

The matter is REMANDED for the following actions:

1. Identify and obtain any pertinent, outstanding VA and private treatment records not already of record and associate them with the claims file. 

2. Direct the claims file to a clinician to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's skin disorder, to include dyshidrotic eczema and tinea manuum.

Based on a review of the record, the clinician is asked to opine as to the following:

	whether it is at least as likely as not (a 50 percent probability or more) that each of the Veteran's diagnosed skin disorders, including dyshidrotic eczema and tinea manuum, are etiologically related to service, to specifically include in-service exposure to yellowcake uranium.  

In forming the opinion, the examiner must address the Veteran's January 2017 and December 2019 lay statements and his May 2019 testimony reporting that he experienced cracking and peeling hands during service. 

The examiner is advised that lay witnesses such as the Veteran and his fellow servicemembers are competent to report service history and symptomatology capable of lay observation and that, as such, VA considers his report of in-service exposure to yellowcake uranium to be accurate.

The rationale for all opinions must be provided.

 

3. If the clinician determines that an examination is necessary to provide the requested opinions, then it should be scheduled. 

 

 

L. HOWELL

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	A. Spigelman, 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.