Citation Nr: 20034945 Decision Date: 05/19/20 Archive Date: 05/19/20 DOCKET NO. 17-12 533 DATE: May 19, 2020 REMANDED Entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served honorably in the United States Navy from July 1965 to September 1968. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a January 2016 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Oakland, California. The Veteran testified before the Board at a March 2020 videoconference hearing. A transcript has been associated with the claims file. The Board notes that the Veteran submitted a Rapid Appeals Modernization Program (RAMP) opt-in election in May 2018, electing the Higher Level Review lane, while his legacy appeal was still pending. At his March 2020 Board hearing, the Veteran and his representative indicated that they had not received any follow-up communication and requested that his RAMP opt-in election be considered withdrawn so that the Veteran could continue his appeal under the legacy docket. As such, this claim is maintained as a legacy docket appeal. Entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is remanded. The Veteran originally filed a claim for service connection in September 2013. In connection with his claim, the Veteran received an examination in November 2015. Following this, he was granted service connection by the RO in January 2016 at 30 percent, effective September 21, 2015. During his March 2020 hearing, the Veteran pointed out inaccuracies with his November 2015 examination, noting that he had in fact experienced employment problems, which was contrary to the examiner’s report. The Board notes that the Veteran’s May 2016 mental health initial evaluation report from VA clearly records the Veteran’s belief that “his anger also led to his last job firing.” Additionally, at his Board hearing, the Veteran reported that he receives ongoing VA mental health treatment on an approximately monthly basis and that his Prazosin PTSD medication had been increased at his most recent mental health appointment. It is unclear if the medication increase reflects a worsening in the Veteran’s condition, as the Veteran’s recent VA treatment records have not yet been associated with his claim. It is necessary for these records to be associated with the Veteran’s claim in order to determine the current level of severity of the Veteran’s condition. In addition, the Veteran should be scheduled for an updated psychiatric examination. The matter is REMANDED for the following action: 1. Associate all outstanding VA treatment records with the Veteran’s claims file. 2. Send the Veteran a letter requesting that he submit, or authorize VA to obtain on his behalf any records of private care he may have, if any, that are not already associated with the file. All appropriate efforts should be taken to obtain identified records. 3. After these records have been associated with the Veteran’s claim, schedule the Veteran for an examination by an appropriate clinician to determine the current severity of his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The examiner should provide a full description of the disability and report all signs and symptoms necessary for evaluating the Veteran’s disability under the rating criteria. The examiner must attempt to elicit information regarding the severity, frequency, and duration of symptoms. 4. After the examination is completed, readjudicate the issue on appeal. V. Chiappetta Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board A. Hennessy, Associate Counsel The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.