Citation Nr: 18147544
Decision Date: 11/06/18	Archive Date: 11/05/18

DOCKET NO. 14-40 272A
DATE:	November 6, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from August 2006 to May 2011.
This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a February 2012 rating decision of the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Winston Salem, North Carolina.  The RO in St. Petersburg, Florida currently has jurisdiction over the case.
This appeal has been advanced on the Board’s docket pursuant to 38 C.F.R. § 20.900(c) (2017).  38 U.S.C. § 7107(a)(2) (2012).
1. Entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD is remanded.
The Veteran was last afforded a VA examination addressing the severity of his service-connected PTSD in June 2011.  His medical treatment records show that he is receiving ongoing treatment for his PTSD symptomatology.  Further, the Veteran’s records indicate a possible increase in symptoms associated with his PTSD.  See March 2013 PC Provider Note (reflecting the Veteran admitted to having passive suicidal thoughts); March 2012 Addendum (reporting the Veteran has passive thoughts of self-harm); February 2014 Social Work Note (reflecting the Veteran’s anxiety and panic attacks have been more frequent).
Accordingly, the Board finds that the current evidence of record does not adequately reflect the present state of the Veteran’s PTSD.  See 38 C.F.R. § 3.327 (a) (2017) (providing that reexaminations will be requested whenever VA needs to determine the current severity of a disability).  See Schafrath v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 589, 595 (1991) (where the record does not adequately reveal the current state of the claimant’s disability, a VA examination must be conducted); see also Caffrey v. Brown, 6 Vet. App. 377, 381 (1994) (wherein the Court determined the Board should have ordered a contemporaneous examination of the Veteran because a 23-month old exam was too remote in time to adequately support the decision in an appeal for an increased rating).  As such, remand is required to schedule the Veteran for a current VA examination.
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Make arrangements to obtain the Veteran’s VA treatment records, dated from February 2014 forward.
2. Schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination to determine the severity of his service-connected PTSD.  The Veteran’s claims file, including a copy of this remand, must be made available to and reviewed by the VA examiner.  The examination report must reflect that such a review was undertaken.  The examination should include any necessary diagnostic testing or evaluation.
The examiner must identify the symptoms and functional impairment associated with the Veteran’s PTSD, and discuss the degree of occupational and social impairment caused by his symptoms.  Preferably, the appropriate Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) should be used for this purpose.
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
 
P.M. DILORENZO
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	L. Sinckler, Associate Counsel