Citation Nr: 18145735
Decision Date: 10/30/18	Archive Date: 10/29/18

DOCKET NO. 15-01 704A
DATE:	October 30, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 70 percent disabling for service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded.
Entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from August 1968 to August 1970.
1. Entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 70 percent disabling for service-connected PTSD is remanded.
The Board finds that additional development is needed prior to final adjudication of the issues on appeal.  The last VA examination addressing the Veteran’s PTSD was administered in December 2011.  In January 2013, the Veteran submitted a statement that his service-connected PTSD is getting worse.  Under these circumstances a remand for a contemporaneous examination is required to assess the current severity of the Veteran’s service-connected disability.  See Snuffer v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 400, 403 (1997); Green v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 121 (1991).

2. Entitlement to a TDIU is remanded.
In addition, the Board notes that the issue of TDIU is inextricably intertwined with the issues remaining on appeal.  See Parker v. Brown, 7 Vet. App. 116 (1994); Harris v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 180, 183 (1991) (two issues are “inextricably intertwined” when they are so closely tied together that a final Board decision cannot be rendered unless both are adjudicated).  Therefore, the Board finds it necessary to remand this issue.
The matters are REMANDED for the following action:
1. After securing any necessary consent forms from the Veteran, obtain any outstanding treatment records, to include any VA and/or private treatment records, pertaining to the issues on appeal.  All efforts to obtain these records should be documented in the claim file.  If any records could not be obtained, this should be noted in the claim file.
2. Upon completion of the above, schedule the Veteran for the appropriate VA examination to address the current severity of his service-connected PTSD.  The examiner is asked to address, in particular, the impact of the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities on his employability.
For all examinations, all necessary development should be taken.  The VA examiner should be given access to the claim file.  The examiner should state that a review of the claim file was completed.
The examiner must provide a comprehensive report including complete rationales for all opinions and conclusions reached, citing the objective medical findings leading to the conclusions.
A detailed rationale is requested for all opinions provided.
3. If upon completion of the above action the issues are 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	K. Foster, Associate Counsel