Citation Nr: 21062941
Decision Date: 10/12/21	Archive Date: 10/12/21

DOCKET NO. 17-50 465
DATE: October 12, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from July 1969 to April 1990.

This case comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal of a May 2017 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The Board notes the Veteran was scheduled for a Board hearing on June 1, 2021. In May 2021, the Veteran's representative withdrew the Veteran's hearing request. 

The Veteran was granted service connection for PTSD in May 2017 with a 10 percent rating. In a May 2021 statement submitted by the Veteran, he described flashbacks from service that have surfaced three years prior, one year after the May 2017 rating decision. The Veteran's 10 percent rating was based on a VA examination from March 2017. Given the length of time from the last VA examination and the Veteran stating his condition has worsened, the Board finds a new VA examination is warranted to ascertain the severity of the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. 

Additionally, the most recent VA records in the Veteran's file are from July 2017. The Veteran was seen numerous times at his local VA medical center in 2017 for PTSD. Thus, on remand, the RO should update the Veteran's file to include all of the Veteran's VA medical records and to provide a VA examination to determine the severity of his service-connected PTSD.

The matter is REMANDED for the following action:

1. In accordance with the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 3.159, make efforts to obtain all records identified by the Veteran, including any outstanding VA treatment records.

2. Schedule the Veteran for an examination by an appropriate clinician to determine the current severity of his service-connected 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. To the extent possible, the examiner should identify any symptoms and social and occupational impairment due to his service-connected PTSD alone.   

 

K. Anderson

Acting Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	D. Hetman

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.