Citation Nr: 18148963
Decision Date: 11/08/18	Archive Date: 11/08/18

DOCKET NO. 14-41 373A
DATE:	November 8, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.
Entitlement to a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran had active service in the United States Navy from June 1969 to February 1973.  These matters are on appeal from a March 2014 rating decision. 
The Board notes that entitlement to service connection for a nervous condition was denied in a December 1975 rating decision.  However, the record reflects the receipt of service treatment records (STRs) that were not before the Agency of Original Jurisdiction at the time of the December 1975 decision, but existed at the time of that decision.  In such a situation, the Board must reconsider the claim on the merits.  38 C.F.R. § 3.156(c).  
1. Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.
Post-service, the Veteran was admitted to the hospital for depressive neurosis in September 1975.  The Veteran’s wife reported that, a year prior to the Veteran’s admission, he shot himself in the foot.  The Veteran was hospitalized in 1965 after he cut both wrists.
In January 2014, the Veteran wrote that his depression and suicidal thoughts were due to his deployment between June 1972 and August 1972.  He explained that working on the flight deck was stressful due to the danger of his job and that he saw causalities during his deployment. 
The Veteran underwent a VA examination in May 2018.  The VA examiner diagnosed other specified personality disorder, major depressive disorder, and alcohol abuse disorder.  However, he did not provide an etiological opinion regarding the Veteran’s diagnoses.  Therefore, a remand is required to obtain an addendum medical opinion that addresses the etiology of the Veteran’s current diagnoses. 
2. Entitlement to a TDIU is remanded.
Finally, because a decision on the remanded issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired pyschiatric disorder could significantly impact a decision on the issue of entitlement to a TDIU, the issues are inextricably intertwined.  A remand of the claim for a TDIU is required.
The matters are REMANDED for the following actions:
1. Obtain an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding whether the Veteran’s major depressive disorder is at least as likely as not related to his active service, to include his experience working as a member of the deck crew.  If the VA examiner finds that it is not at least as likely as not that the Veteran’s major depressive disorder is related to active service, then the examiner must opine as to whether the Veteran’s major depressive disorder was at least as likely as not superimposed on a personality disorder during active service and resulted in an additional disability.
2. After the above development, and any additionally indicated development, has been completed, readjudicate the issues on appeal, including the inextricably intertwined issue of entitlement to a TDIU.  If the benefits sought are not granted to the Veteran’s satisfaction, send the Veteran and his representative a Supplemental Statement of the Case and provide an opportunity to respond.  If necessary, return the case to the Board for further appellate review.
 
DAVID L. WIGHT
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	R. R. Watkins, Counsel