Citation Nr: 18145550
Decision Date: 10/29/18	Archive Date: 10/29/18

DOCKET NO. 16-31 424
DATE:	October 29, 2018
REMANDED
Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from December 1974 to November 1975.
This appeal comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) from an October 2013 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Saint Louis, Missouri.
After reviewing the evidence of record, and in light of Clemons v. Shinseki, 23 Vet. App. 1, 5 (2009), the Board has recharacterized the Veteran’s claim of service connection for PTSD to encompass any acquired psychological disorder, to include PTSD and depressive disorder.
Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.
After a review of the claim file, the Board finds that additional development is needed prior to deciding the issue on appeal.
The Board finds that a new examination is warranted. While the record contains an August 2013 PTSD VA examination which includes an etiology opinion relating PTSD to an event the Veteran experienced while in service, witnessing the suicide of another sailor, this stressor has not been corroborated. The VA made a formal finding that the Veteran’s reports of his stressors were insufficient to pursue efforts for verification. However, the VA examination did not address the Veteran’s diagnosed depressive disorder and to what extent, if any, the Veteran’s service caused or aggravated it. Therefore, a new examination is needed to confirm the current psychiatric diagnoses and to obtain an etiology opinion.
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination to determine the etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder that the Veteran may currently have, to include PTSD and depressive disorder. The claim file should be made available to the examiner, and review of the claim file should be noted in the examiner’s opinion. 
After an examination of the Veteran, the examiner should provide an opinion regarding whether it is more likely than not (i.e., probability greater than 50 percent), at least as likely as not (i.e., probability of 50 percent), or less likely than not (i.e., probability less than 50 percent) that any acquired psychiatric disorder is at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by the Veteran’s service. The examiner is reminded that the term “as likely as not” does not mean “within the realm of medical possibility,” but rather that the evidence of record is so evenly divided that, in the examiner’s expert opinion, it is as medically sound to find in favor of the proposition as it is to find against it.
A detailed explanation (rationale) is required for all opinions provided. (By law, the Board is not permitted to rely on any conclusion that is not supported by a thorough explanation. Providing an opinion or conclusion without a thorough explanation will delay processing of the matter and may also result in a clarification being requested).
2. If upon completion of the above action the claim remains denied, the case should be returned to the Board after compliance with appellate procedures.

 
E. I. VELEZ
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	I. Kerner, Associate Counsel