Citation Nr: 21075797 Decision Date: 12/21/21 Archive Date: 12/21/21 DOCKET NO. 12-06 276 DATE: December 21, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a somatoform disability is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran had active service from February 2008 to October 2008. In December 2020, the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) denied service connection for a somatoform disorder, to include as secondary to PTSD. The Veteran subsequently appealed the claim to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Court). In August 2021, the Court granted the Parties' Joint Motion for Partial Remand; vacated the December 2020 Board decision; and remanded the appeal to the Board for action consistent with the Joint Motion for Partial Remand. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a somatoform disorder is remanded. The report of a January 2011 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) examination states that the Veteran was diagnosed with a somatization disorder. The examiner opined that the reported right leg pain was at least as likely as not caused by or a result of the somatization disorder. The report of a November 2019 psychiatric examination conducted for VA conveys that the Veteran's "reported symptoms" did not "meet the diagnostic criteria for somatic symptom disorder." Private clinical documentation dated in August 2018 reflects the Veteran complained of painful legs, primarily at night, which impaired her sleep. The Veteran clarified that "she feels that the leg pain is likely triggered by nightmares as she notices pain most profoundly after awakening from a nightmare." The Joint Motion for Partial Remand states that as the November 2019 VA examination report is inadequate as it failed to address the January 2011 VA somatoform disorder diagnosis and the August 2018 private treatment records noting somatoform disorder symptoms, an additional VA examination is required. Clinical documentation dated after February 2021 is not of record. VA should obtain all relevant VA and private treatment records which could potentially be helpful in resolving the Veteran's claims. Murphy v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 78 (1990); Bell v. Derwinski, 2 Vet. App. 611 (1992). Accordingly, this matter is REMANDED for the following action: 1. Ask the Veteran to complete a VA Form 21-4142 for each private healthcare provider who has treated her for any somatoform disability. Make two requests for the authorized records from all identified healthcare providers unless it is clear after the first request that a second request would be futile. 2. Associate with the record all VA clinical documentation not already of record, including that pertaining to the Veteran's treatment after February 2021. 3. Schedule the Veteran for a VA psychiatric examination conducted by an appropriate examiner to assist in determining the nature of any identified recurrent somatoform disability and any relationship to active service or a service connected disability. The examiner must review the record, including the November 2019 VA psychiatric examination and the August 2018 private clinical documentation reflecting somatoform leg pain, and should note that review in the report. A rationale for all opinions should be provided. The examiner should: (a) Diagnose all somatoform disabilities found on current examination or established by the record. If a somatoform disability is not diagnosed, the examiner should specifically state that fact. (b) Opine whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or greater) that any identified somatoform disability had its onset during active service or is related to any incident of service, including the Veteran's history of military sexual trauma. The examiner should specifically address the January 2011 VA examination report and the August 2018 private clinical documentation. (c) Opine whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or greater) that any identified somatoform disability is due to or the result of the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the other service connected disabilities. (d) Opine whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or greater) that any identified somatoform disability has been aggravated (increased in severity beyond the natural progress of the disorder) by the PTSD and the other service connected disabilities. J. T. HUTCHESON Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board H. Marsdale 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.