Citation Nr: 18144180 Decision Date: 10/24/18 Archive Date: 10/23/18 DOCKET NO. 15-05 587 DATE: October 24, 2018 ORDER Entitlement to a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual un-employability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is remanded. REMAND The Veteran has established service connection for a number of disabilities with compensable ratings assigned for prostate cancer residuals, rated 60 percent; post-traumatic stress disorder, rated 30 percent; non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, rated 20 percent; diabetes mellitus type II with bilateral non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and bilateral cataracts, rated 20 percent; diabetes mellitus type II with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and bilateral cataracts (claimed as vision problems), rated 20 percent; peripheral neuropathy left upper extremity, rated 10 percent; peripheral neuropathy right upper extremity, rated 10 percent; peripheral neuropathy left lower extremity, rated 10 percent; and peripheral neuropathy right lower extremity, rated 10 percent. The Veteran’s combined service-connected disability rating is 90 percent, with the musculoskeletal disabilities combining to a total of at least 30 percent using the bilateral factor. Therefore, the Veteran meets the minimum schedular requirements for consideration for eligibility for TDIU. 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a). The Veteran retired after more than three decades based on length of service. He has stated that changes in the staffing at his school had led to an increase in anxiety. The question remains whether the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to service-connected disabilities. Hatlestad v. Brown, 5 Vet. App. 524 (1993). In the July 2018 hearing before the Board, the Veteran testified that his service-connected disabilities were greatly impacting his ability to work. The Veteran stated that he worked in electronics repairing machines that ranged in size. The Veteran explained that the neuropathy in his upper and lower extremities made it difficult for him to do the precise work the machine repair required. The Veteran further testified that voiding caused by his prostate cancer residuals forced him to have to go to the restroom once per hour with no relief by assistive devices. Beyond that, the Veteran also testified about the impairment his psychiatric disability caused on his employment. More specifically, the Veteran testified to memory loss problems and thoughts of harming himself or others. The evidence of record shows that the Veteran was an electronics mechanic and retired in March 2007. The Veteran stated that he had to retire due to the medical issues he faced from his service-connected disabilities. The Veteran has not had a VA examination of his disabilities to determine whether they cause unemployability in over four years and has stated that they have worsened since that time. Therefore, the Board finds that examination is needed prior to adjudication of this claim. The matter is REMANDED for the following action: 1. Secure all outstanding VA medical records. If any records cannot be located, specifically document the attempts that were made to locate them, and explain in writing why further attempts to locate or obtain any government records would be futile. If records are unable to be obtained (a) notify the claimant of the specific records that VA is unable to obtain; (b) explain the efforts VA has made to obtain that evidence; and (c) describe any further action it will take with respect to the claim. The claimant must then be given an opportunity to respond. 2. Then, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination. The examiner must review the claims file and should note that review in the record. The examiner should determine the functional effects of the service-connected prostate cancer residuals, posttraumatic stress disorder, diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and erectile dysfunction on the Veteran’s ability to work with a complete discussion of all functional impairments impacting social and industrial opportunities. The examiner should opine whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability) that the Veteran is unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment due to the service-connected disabilities, consistent with his training and experience. If the Veteran is felt capable of work despite the service-connected disabilities, the examiner should state what type of work and what accommodations would be necessary due to the service-connected disabilities. The examination report must include a complete rationale for the opinions and conclusions reached. Harvey P. Roberts Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD K. D. Cross, Associate Counsel