Citation Nr: 18150063
Decision Date: 11/14/18	Archive Date: 11/14/18

DOCKET NO. 14-32 149A
DATE:	November 14, 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 November 1968 to April 1972.  This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a December 2011 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Baltimore, MD.  This decision granted the Veteran service connection for PTSD and awarded a 30 percent initial rating effective from November 16, 2009. The Veteran has appealed this initial rating. 
Entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded.
When a claimant asserts, or the evidence shows, that the severity of a disability has increased since the most recent rating examination, an additional examination is appropriate. VAOPGCPREC 11-95 (April 7, 1995); Snuffer v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 400 (1997). 
The Veteran’s most recent VA examination for PTSD was in 2010.  Since then, the Veteran submitted a lay statement from his son who reported worsening PTSD symptoms, to include nightmares, staying up for long hours, picking at his skin, inability to focus, anxiety and irritability. In these circumstances, a new VA examination is needed to assess the extent and severity of the Veteran’s current PTSD disability.  
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Provide the Veteran an opportunity to identify any relevant outstanding private treatment records and any other relevant evidence pertaining to his claims. The identified records should be sought. 
Associate any of the Veteran’s outstanding VA medical records related to his service-connected PTSD with the claims file.
2. Schedule the Veteran for a VA examination by a qualified clinician to determine the severity and extent of his service-connected PTSD. All indicated tests and studies should be accomplished and all clinical findings should be reported in detail. A complete rationale for all 








opinions expressed should be provided. 
 
MICHAEL E. KILCOYNE
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	B. Jaigirdar, Associate Counsel