Citation Nr: 21062160
Decision Date: 10/06/21	Archive Date: 10/06/21

DOCKET NO. 16-17 343
DATE: October 6, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from October 1994 to December 1995.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a February 2016 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This case was remanded in June 2019 for further development.

In February 2019, the Veteran testified at a Board hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge; a transcript of that hearing is of record.

Entitlement to TDIU.

In February 2020, the Veteran expressed interest in pursuing a master's degree in business administration and it appears that she had been successfully maintaining employment. However, by October 2020, vocational benefits were discontinued because she stopped attending school, was going to be put on academic suspension, and was unresponsive. See VA vocational rehabilitation records. The Veteran's actions related to her schooling indicate a possible change in the impact her service-connected disabilities, specifically posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are having on her ability to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment. As a result, the Board finds it necessary to obtain a new VA psychological examination to help determine if there has been a change in symptoms that are having an impact on the Veteran's employability.

The matter is REMANDED for the following action:

1. The AOJ should obtain copies of VA treatment records from March 2020 to the present.

2. After the above development is completed, the AOJ should arrange for an examination of the Veteran to assess the current severity of her service-connected PTSD. The examiner must review the entire record (including this remand) in conjunction with the examination and note such review was conducted. The examiner should provide a full description of the disability and report all signs and symptoms associated with the Veteran's disability.

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3. If upon completion of the above action the issue remains denied, the case should be returned to the Board after compliance with appellate procedures.

 

 

E. I. VELEZ

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	J. Sandler, 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.