Citation Nr: 18142720
Decision Date: 10/17/18	Archive Date: 10/16/18

DOCKET NO. 16-29 727
DATE:	October 17, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for a specified trauma and stressor related disorder is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps from January 2006 to January 2010.
This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a June 2015 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Wichita, Kansas. 
The Veteran was afforded a VA examination in April 2016 in connection with his claim.  However, his representative asserted in September 2016 that the examination was inadequate.  Specifically, he listed symptoms that the examiner did not address.  Although the examiner did discuss many of the symptoms identified by the representative, the Board notes that there were a few symptoms not identified or addressed in the examination report, such as memory loss and periods of violence.  Therefore, the Board finds that an additional VA examination is needed to ascertain the current severity and manifestations of the Veteran’s service-connected disability.
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. The Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) should request that the Veteran provide the names and addresses of any and all healthcare providers who have provided treatment for his service-connected specified trauma and stressor related disorder.  After acquiring this information and obtaining any necessary authorization, the AOJ should obtain and associate these records with the claims file.
The AOJ should also secure any outstanding VA treatment records.
2.  After completing the foregoing development, the Veteran should be afforded a VA examination to ascertain the severity and manifestations of his specified trauma and stressor related disorder.  Any and all studies, tests, and evaluations deemed necessary by the examiner should be performed.  
The examiner is requested to review all pertinent records associated with the claims file. 
It should be noted that the Veteran is competent to attest to matters of which he has first-hand knowledge, including observable symptomatology.  If there is a medical basis to support or doubt the history provided by the Veteran, the examiner should provide a fully reasoned explanation.
The examiner should report all signs and symptoms necessary for rating the Veteran’s disability under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.  The findings of the examiner should address the level of social and occupational impairment attributable to the Veteran’s psychiatric disorder. 
A clear rationale for all opinions would be helpful and a discussion of the facts and medical principles involved would be of considerable assistance to the Board. Because it is important “that each disability is viewed in relation to its history,” copies of all pertinent records in the Veteran’s claims file, or in the alternative, the claim file, must be made available to the examiner for review.
3.  After completing above actions, the AOJ should conduct any other development as may be indicated by a response received as a consequence of the actions taken in the preceding paragraphs.
 
J.W. ZISSIMOS
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	K.M. Walker, Associate Counsel