Citation Nr: 19117294
Decision Date: 03/08/19	Archive Date: 03/08/19

DOCKET NO. 17-37 210
DATE:	March 8, 2019

REMANDED

Entitlement to a rating in excess of 30 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran had active duty in the United States Marine Corps from June 2002 to July 2006.

This matter is on appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) from an May 2014 rating decision of a regional office of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 

The Veteran asserts that his current 30 percent evaluation for PTSD does not adequately reflect his worsening symptoms and do not account for his “increasing nightmares, anxiety issues, anger issues, depression, and intolerance” and his current “violent nightmares about 3 times a week.” See Statement included in VA Form 9 dated July 2017.   

The record reflects an April 2017 VA examination where the examiner indicated that the Veteran has no current mental health treatment since October 2014 and only noted symptoms of anxiety and chronic sleep impairment associated with the PTSD diagnosis. See Review PTSD Disability Benefits Questionnaire(DBQ) dated April 2017.  However, given the Veteran’s lay statement of his worsening condition, the Board observes that the recent April 2017 examination does not accurately reflect the current severity and manifestations of his PTSD as described.

Accordingly, in order to ensure that the Veteran’s claim is afforded full consideration, the Board concludes that a reexamination is necessary.    

The matter is REMANDED for the following action:

1. Obtain any outstanding pertinent VA treatment records not evidenced by the current record and associate with the claims file.

2. After receipt of all additional records, schedule the Veteran for a VA psychiatric examination to determine the severity of the service-connected PTSD.  The entire claims file must be made available 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. 

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The examiner must utilize the appropriate Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) for PTSD.  The examiner should also identify the nature, frequency, and severity of all current manifestations of the Veteran’s PTSD.  



 

KELLI A. KORDICH

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	S. An, Associate Counsel