Citation Nr: 21065661
Decision Date: 10/27/21	Archive Date: 10/27/21

DOCKET NO. 19-14 970
DATE: October 27, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to an increased initial rating for service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps from September 1979 to September 1983.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a January 2019 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).

In the January 2019 rating decision, the RO granted service connection for PTSD effective June 14, 2018, the date of the claim.  The RO assigned a 50 percent rating for the entire period.  The Veteran filed a notice of disagreement (NOD) in January 2019 appealing the rating.  The Veteran properly appealed the decision, and a June 2021 hearing was held before the undersigning Veterans Law Judge and a transcript is of record.

During the June 2021 Board hearing, the Veteran stated that his PTSD has worsened since his last VA examination in September 2018.  See June 2021 Board Hearing Transcript, pg. 6.  The Board finds the medical evidence of record supports the Veteran's contention.  Specifically, the medical records received since the Veteran's last VA examination note that he experiences poor sleep, nightmares, depression, hypervigilance, inability to trust, and inability to socialize.  The medical records also state that, although, the Veteran did not currently have suicidal ideation, he previously admitted that he thought his life was not worth living.  See May 2020 VA Psychology Telephone Encounter Note.  Therefore, the Board finds a remand is warranted for a new VA examination.

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

The RO should schedule the Veteran for a VA psychiatric examination, with a qualified professional, to determine the severity of his service-connected PTSD.  The claims file must be reviewed by the examiner.  The examination must reflect all current subjective complaints and objective symptoms.  All opinions must be supported by a rationale.

The examiner should specifically consider and address the VA medical treatment records pertaining to suicidal and homicidal ideation. 

 

 

A. C. MACKENZIE

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	Glaeser, Jennifer

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.