Citation Nr: 18144634 Decision Date: 10/25/18 Archive Date: 10/24/18 DOCKET NO. 11-17 727 DATE: October 25, 2018 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a left hand disability is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from September 1973 to September 1993. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from an August 2010 rating decision of a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). With respect to the issue of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, that claim was adjudicated at the RO as a claim of service connection for PTSD, based on the Veteran’s original claim. The issue above has been characterized to reflect that claims for service connection specifically for a psychiatric disability of PTSD encompass claims for service connection for all psychiatric disabilities shown by the record. See Clemons v. Shinseki, 23 Vet. App. 1 (2009). 1. Entitlement to service connection for a left hand disability is remanded. The Veteran contends that he has a disability of the left hand that is attributable to his period of service. The service treatment records note that in May 1978 the Veteran reported numbness of the last two fingers of his left hand. In November 1979 he was noted to have sutures in his left thumb. In May 1980 a left thumb injury was noted. Following service, a February 2006 treatment record noted that the Veteran reported that his hands and wrists were bothering him. In June 2006 a bone scan showed mild osteoarthritis in the left wrist. An October 2006 treatment record noted degenerative joint disease of the left wrist. In December 2011 left thumb arthritis was noted. In January 2012 the Veteran underwent a scaphoid excision with four corner fusion in the left wrist. A VA examination and opinion would be helpful in determining whether a current left hand disability is related to the Veteran’s inservice complaints. See McLendon v. Nicholson, 20 Vet. App. 79, 83 (2006). 2. Entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded. The Veteran contends that he has PTSD as a result of inservice stressors including experiencing a Scud missile attack in Saudi Arabia in 1991. The JSRRC has confirmed that such an attack occurred near where the Veteran was stationed. The treatment record contains notations of PTSD, however a VA examiner in June 2010 determined that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD. That examiner diagnosed mood disorder, not otherwise specified. An October 2006 treatment record noted a diagnosis of adjustment reaction, while more recent VA treatment records show ongoing treatment for adjustment disorder. An October 1976 service treatment record noted a diagnosis of anxiety reaction. The Veteran was scheduled for a VA psychiatric examination in September 2017. He did not report for that examination, and the RO noted that he did not provide any reason for his failure to report. However, review of the record shows that the Veteran was incarcerated from August 3, 2017 until May 23, 2018. Given that the Veteran was unable to report for the scheduled examination, the Board finds that he should be scheduled for another examination to determine whether he has a current psychiatric disorder that may be related to service. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Schedule the Veteran for a VA examination by an appropriate medical professional to determine the nature and etiology of any current left hand disability. The entire record, including a copy of this remand, must be reviewed by the examiner. The examiner is to conduct all necessary tests and studies. The examiner is to provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or greater) that any current left hand disability had its onset during service or within one year of discharge; or is otherwise related to service, to include the May 1978 complaint of numbness of the last two fingers of his left hand, and the November 1979 and May 1980 left thumb injuries. The examination report must include a complete rationale for all opinions expressed. 2. Schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination with a VA psychiatrist or psychologist to determine whether the Veteran meets the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and/or any other acquired psychiatric disorder. The electronic claim file should be reviewed by the examiner in conjunction with the examination. Any necessary tests should be conducted. For each diagnosis made, the examiner must provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (a degree of probability of 50 percent or higher) that the current acquired psychiatric disorder is etiologically related to service, to specifically include the anxiety reaction noted in service in October 1976 as well as the confirmed stressor related to a Scud missile attack in 1991. The examiner is to note that the Veteran is competent to report in-service symptoms and continuity of symptoms since service. If PTSD is diagnosed, the examiner must specifically state the stressor(s) upon which the diagnosis of PTSD was made. The examiner should provide an explanation for all elements of his/her opinion. D. JOHNSON Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD M. G. Mazzucchelli, Counsel