Citation Nr: 18139818
Decision Date: 10/01/18	Archive Date: 10/01/18

DOCKET NO. 14-42 670
DATE:	October 1, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to a rating in excess of 50 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded.
Entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran had active duty in the Marine Corps from June 1990 to August 1998.
This matter is on appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) from an April 2014 rating decision of a regional office of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 
In May 2018, the Veteran testified at a Board hearing via videoconference before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge of the Board.  A transcript of the hearing is associated with the record. 
The Veteran asserts that his 50 percent evaluation for PTSD does not account for his current “occasional olfactory and auditory hallucinations”.  See Statement included in VA Form 9 dated November 2014.  At the Board hearing, the Veteran and his spouse presented testimony regarding symptoms of suicidal ideation.  The Veteran’s spouse testified that the Veteran “has mentioned on a couple of occasions about him taking and not being a problem to the family anymore…” and the Veteran testified that he does not want “to be a burden to the family” that he has “not been in a good place on occasion.” See Hearing Transcript, p.10.  
The record reflects a July 2015 VA contract examination where the examiner indicated that the Veteran denied any suicidal thoughts or psychotic symptoms on examination. See PTSD Disability Benefits Questionnaire dated July 2015.  However, given the Veteran’s testimony and lay evidence of record, the Board observes that the 2015 examination does not accurately reflect the current severity and manifestations of his PTSD as described.
Accordingly, in order to ensure that the Veteran’s claim is afforded full consideration, the Board concludes that a reexamination is necessary.    
Furthermore, as the development ordered above could result in information relevant to the issue of entitlement to a TDIU, the Board finds the issue is inextricably intertwined and must be remanded as well. Harris v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 180 (1991).
The matters are REMANDED for the following action:
1. Obtain any outstanding pertinent VA treatment records not evidenced by the current record and associate with the claims file.
2. Following completion of the above, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the current nature, extent and severity of his PTSD.  All required tests should be performed.  The claims file, including this remand, should be reviewed by the examiner to become familiar with the Veteran’s pertinent medical history and such review should be noted in the examination report. The examiner must consider all signs and symptoms necessary for evaluating the disability under the rating criteria as indicated by the relevant DBQ. An explanation for all opinions expressed must be provided.
 
BARBARA B. COPELAND
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	S. An, Associate Counsel