Citation Nr: 18153642
Decision Date: 11/28/18	Archive Date: 11/28/18

DOCKET NO. 16-39 411
DATE:	November 28, 2018
REMANDED
1. Entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease.
2. Entitlement to a rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
INTRODUCTION
The Veteran served on active duty from June 1984 to March 1996, from June 2002 to September 2002, and from January 2003 to March 2004.  
These matters come before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from an April 2012 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in St. Petersburg, Florida.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The most recent VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran’s service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease was in April 2011, and the most recent to assess the severity of his service-connected PTSD occurred in March 2012.  The Board finds that the April 2011 and March 2012 VA examinations are too remote, and the evidence of record is otherwise insufficient, to adequately assess the current severity of these disabilities.  Consequently, a remand is warranted for additional development.  See Green v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 121, 124 (1991).
The matters are REMANDED for the following action:
1. Contact the Veteran and afford him the opportunity to identify or submit any additional pertinent evidence in support of his claims.  Based on his response, attempt to procure copies of all records which have not previously been obtained from identified treatment sources.
2. Then, provide the Veteran VA examinations to determine the current degree of severity of his lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and PTSD.  Make all pertinent evidence of record available to the examiners and instruct the examiners to review that evidence.  Ensure that the examiner provides all information required for rating purposes.
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3. Re-adjudicate the claims.  If the benefits sought remain denied, then issue a supplemental statement of the case to the Veteran and his representative.  Provide them a reasonable opportunity to respond.
 
T. REYNOLDS
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	Sean G. Pflugner, Counsel