Citation Nr: 18149698
Decision Date: 11/13/18	Archive Date: 11/13/18

DOCKET NO. 17-34 544
DATE:	November 13, 2018

REMANDED
Entitlement to service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as generalized anxiety disorder and dysthymic disorder is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from May 1969 to August 1970. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from December 2016 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). This appeal has been advanced on the Board’s docket pursuant to 38 C.F.R.  §20.900(c) (2018). 38 U.S.C. § 7107 (a)(2) (2012).
The Board finds that an additional medical opinion is needed to address this claim. In this regard, the October 2016 VA examiner did not address the in-service report in December 1969 of delusion of grandeur and paranoia syndrome. Furthermore, the private opinion in April 2016 is conclusory.  Updated treatment records should also be obtained.  
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Ask the Veteran to provide the names and addresses of all medical care providers who have recently treated him for his claimed condition. After securing any necessary releases, request any relevant records identified. In addition, obtain updated VA treatment records. If any requested records are unavailable, the Veteran should    be notified of such.
2. Send the claims file to an appropriate VA mental health examiner to obtain an addendum opinion on the Veteran’s claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. If a new examination is deemed necessary         to respond to the question presented, one should be scheduled. Following review of the claims file and examination of the Veteran, the examiner should provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or greater) that any current psychiatric disability arose during service or is otherwise related to service.  The examiner should explain why or why not, to include addressing the in-service psychiatric complaints in December 1969. 

 
K. A. BANFIELD
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	A. Asare, Associate Counsel