Citation Nr: 21041220 Decision Date: 07/08/21 Archive Date: 07/08/21 DOCKET NO. 13-09 983 DATE: July 8, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 30 percent disabling for bronchial asthma from June 9, 2011 forward is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from August 1986 to August 1996. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a November 2014 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Oakland, California. The Veteran testified at a hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge (VLJ) in August 2018. This matter was previously remanded by the Board in May 2017 and April 2020 for further development. 1. Entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for bronchial asthma from June 9, 2011 forward is remanded. Pursuant to the April 2020 Board remand, the Veteran was afforded a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected bronchial asthma in November 2020, where the examiner stated that the Veteran's respiratory condition required intermittent courses or bursts of systemic (oral or parenteral) corticosteroids 3 times in the past 12 months. The RO ordered clarification from a different examiner, as the November 2020 VA examiner did not discuss the Veteran's treatment for asthma shown in his VA or private records when stating that his asthma required intermittent courses or bursts of systemic corticosteroids 3 times in the past 12 months. An addendum opinion was obtained in February 2021, where a new examiner stated that she reviewed the Veteran's claims file and was not able to confirm the use of oral prednisone bursts at least 3 times a year, explaining that oral prednisone is not a listed medicine in the Veteran's list of active medicine. The Board finds the February 2021 VA addendum opinion inadequate, as a cursory review of the Veteran's VA medical treatment record shows prednisone listed as an active prescription throughout the period on appeal. See September 2011, February 2012, April 2013, March 2014, December 2015, November 2018, and May 2020 VA Medical Treatment Records. When VA undertakes to provide a VA examination or obtain a VA opinion, it must ensure that the examination or opinion is adequate. Barr v. Nicholson, 21 Vet. App. 303, 312 (2007). Accordingly, a new medical opinion is warranted that adequately addresses the evidence of record when assessing the severity of the Veteran's service-connected bronchial asthma for the entire period on appeal. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Obtain the Veteran's updated VA treatment records. 2. Send the Veteran VA Form 21-4142 in order to obtain his complete medical treatment records from Rideout Regional Medical Center. If the form is found to be returned incomplete, notify the Veteran of the specific deficiency and allow him an opportunity to provide the complete information. 3. Return the claims file to the February 2021 VA examiner. Obtain a medical opinion to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected bronchial asthma for the entire period on appeal, beginning June 9, 2011, to the present. The entire claims file and a copy of this remand must be made available to the examiner for review. The examiner is asked to clarify whether the Veteran requires or has required the use of systemic corticosteroids (oral or parental) to treat his asthma, and if so, how often, from June 2011 to the present. While it is the examiner's duty to complete an independent review of the claims file, the Board highlights several accounts of an active prescription for Prednisone in the Veteran's claims file, including the September 2011, February 2012, April 2013, March 2014, December 2015, November 2018, and May 2020 VA medical treatment records. P.M. DILORENZO Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board T. Mohammad 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.