Citation Nr: 18151568
Decision Date: 11/19/18	Archive Date: 11/19/18

DOCKET NO. 16-61 464
DATE:	November 19, 2018
ORDER
Entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from October 2000 to August 2004. 
This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal of an October 2014 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Decature, Georgia. 
The Veteran was afforded a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his PTSD in October 2014. After a review of the claims file and a clinical examination, the VA examiner determined that the Veteran’s PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms. 
In 2016, the Veteran submitted evidence suggesting that his PTSD had increased in severity since his examination.  For example, in an October 2016 statement, the Veteran’s cousin reported that he experiences “panic attacks, memory loss for names of close relatives, impaired abstract thinking and judgement.”  The Veteran also submitted documentation indicating that he had been placed on a “formal action plan” at work to improve his performance.  Because the severity of the Veteran’s PTSD is unknown, a new VA examination is warranted.  38 C.F.R. §§ 3.326, 3.327; Snuffer v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 400 (1997) (a veteran is entitled to a new VA examination where there is evidence that the condition has worsened since the last examination).
On remand, the Veteran’s treatment records should also be obtained and associated with his claims folder.  
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Contact the Veteran in order to have him identify the names and addresses of all health care providers who have treated him for the issue on appeal. The Veteran should also be notified that he may submit evidence or treatment records to support his claim. The Board is particularly interested any outstanding records of VA medical treatment (generated after the last treatment notes of record). The AOJ should attempt to obtain any such records.  All efforts to obtain such records should be documented in the claims folder. All available records should be associated with the Veteran’s VA claims folder.
2. Once the above development is completed, the AOJ should schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination to determine the current severity of the service-connected PTSD. The Veteran’s claims folder, including a copy of this remand, must be made available to the examiner. All diagnostic testing deemed to be necessary by the examiner should be accomplished.
3. After undertaking any additional development deemed appropriate, and giving the Veteran full opportunity to supplement the record, adjudicate the Veteran’s pending claim in light of any additional evidence added to the record.  If any benefit sought on appeal remains denied, the Veteran and his representative should be furnished with a Supplemental Statement of the Case and be afforded the applicable opportunity to respond before the record is returned to the Board for further review.

 
M. Donohue
Acting Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	Mahlet Makonnen, Law Clerk