Citation Nr: 18149758
Decision Date: 11/13/18	Archive Date: 11/13/18

DOCKET NO. 12-28 433
DATE:	November 13, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to a rating in excess of 50 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from September 1965 to August 1968.
This matter initially came before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a June 2010 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office.  
In August 2017, the Veteran testified at a video conference hearing before the undersigned.  A transcript of that hearing is of record.
Entitlement to a rating in excess of 50 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded.
The record shows that the Veteran was last afforded a VA examination of the service-connected PTSD in September 2014.  During the August 2017 Board hearing, the Veteran indicated his PTSD had worsened in severity.  Specifically, the Veteran reported increased memory loss, increased irritability and anger outbursts, increased hypervigilance, and increased lack of motivation.  
VA’s duty to assist includes providing a medical examination or obtaining a medical opinion when such an examination or opinion is necessary to make a decision on the claim.  38 U.S.C. § 5103A(d) (2012).  VA is required to conduct an accurate and descriptive medical examination based on the complete medical record.  38 C.F.R. §§ 4.1, 4.2 (2018); Green v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 121, 124 (1991).  Because of the evidence and reports of worsening symptoms since the last examination, a new examination is needed to determine the current severity of the service-connected PTSD.  Snuffer v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 400 (1997); VAOPGCPREC 11-95 (1995).
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
Schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the current severity of the service-connected PTSD.  The electronic claims file should be accessible to and be reviewed by the examiner.  Any indicated tests and studies must be accomplished and all clinical findings must be reported in detail and correlated to a specific diagnosis.  An explanation for all opinions expressed must be provided.
 
CAROLINE B. FLEMING
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	J. Cheng, Associate Counsel