Citation Nr: 21030092 Decision Date: 05/17/21 Archive Date: 05/17/21 DOCKET NO. 16-23 712 DATE: May 17, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for skin disease is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for a bladder condition is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for a heart disorder is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran had active service from June 1965 to June 1969 in the United States Navy. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from an October 2015 rating decision issued by a Regional Office (RO) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). A review of the claims file reveals that a remand is necessary before a decision on the merits of the claims can be reached. The Veteran's representative submitted an informal hearing presentation in September 2020 and indicated that the Veteran relayed that he served aboard the USS Talbot and the USS Albany and was exposed to asbestos while serving aboard those ships. Additionally, the Veteran reported that he used the chemical tricholorethylene (TCE) to clean electronic parts while serving as an electronics technician. The representative avers that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are related to these exposures during service. The Veteran's DD Form 214 indicates that his military occupation specialty (MOS) was an electronics technician and he had two years, three months, and thirteen days of foreign and/or sea service. His service personnel records also document service aboard the USS Talbot and USS Albany. The Board therefore finds the Veteran's contentions relating to possible exposure to asbestos and TCE are not entirely inconsistent with his service as reflected in his personnel records Moreover, a review of the claims file reveals that the Veterans was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, seborrheic dermatitis, eczema, and restrictive lung disease in 1996 and bladder cancer in 2015. In light of the foregoing, the Board finds that a remand is required to afford the Veteran medical examinations and opinions addressing the nature and etiology of the claimed disabilities. See McLendon v. Nicholson, 20 Vet. App. 79 (2006); Colvin v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 171, 175 (1991). The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Ask the Veteran to identify, and provide appropriate releases for, any care providers who may possess new or additional evidence pertinent to the issue(s) on appeal. If he provides the necessary release(s), assist him in obtaining the records identified, following the procedures set forth in 38 C.F.R. § 3.159. Any new or additional (i.e., non-duplicative) evidence received should be associated with the record. If any of the records sought are not available, the record should be annotated to reflect that fact, and the Veteran and his representative should be notified. 2. Obtain copies of records pertaining to any VA treatment the Veteran has received since the time that such records were last procured, following the procedures set forth in 38 C.F.R. § 3.159. The evidence obtained, if any, should be associated with the record. 3. Arrange to have the Veteran scheduled for examination(s) of his skin, genitourinary, heart, and respiratory system. The examiner(s) should review the record. All indicated tests should be conducted and the results reported. After examining the Veteran and reviewing the record, together with the results of any testing deemed necessary, the examiner(s) should offer opinions as to whether it is at least as likely as not (i.e., whether it is 50 percent or more probable) that the Veteran has a current disability of the skin, genitourinary, heart, and respiratory system that had its onset in, or is otherwise attributable to, his military service. For the claimed disabilities, the examiner should consider and discuss the medical significance, if any, of the Veteran's account of exposure to asbestos aboard the USS Talbot and USS Albany and exposure to TCE used to clean electronic parts. A complete rationale for all opinions expressed should be provided. (Continued on the next page) 2. After completing the above, and any other development undertaken as a result of this remand, the issues on appeal should be readjudicated based on the entirety of the evidence. If any benefit sought remains denied, the Veteran and his representative should be issued a supplemental statement of the case. An appropriate period of time should be allowed for response. John Kitlas Acting Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board A. Cryan, 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.