Citation Nr: 21008306
Decision Date: 02/16/21	Archive Date: 02/16/21

DOCKET NO. 12-24 860
DATE: February 16, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia, is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from May 1968 to February 1970, with subsequent periods of unverified active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA) in the Army National Guard.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a March 2011 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Montgomery, Alabama.

In June 2017 and March 2019, the issue was remanded for additional evidentiary development.  

Entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia.

VA treatment records show that the Veteran was psychiatrically hospitalized from May 1983 to June 1983, August 1985 to September 1985, and February 1993 to March 1993.  

In accordance with the June 2017 Board Remand directives, the Veteran was scheduled for VA examinations to address schizophrenia.  The Board notes that the Veteran failed to attend VA examinations scheduled in connection with his claim.  However, the record does not contain any proof of notification to the Veteran for the most recent examination scheduled in September 2018.  Therefore, remand is required in order to provide the Veteran with a new VA examination.

The matter is REMANDED for the following action:

1. The Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) should obtain a complete copy of the Veteran’s VA treatment records. 

2. After the above development is completed, the AOJ should arrange for a VA examination (or telehealth examination as appropriate) to determine the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disability diagnosed during the appeal period.  The claim file should be made available to the examiner for their review and the examination report should state that a review of the file was conducted.  The examiner should identify all psychiatric disabilities diagnosed during the appeal period.  For each disability diagnosed, the examiner is asked to determine the nature and likely cause of the disability and address whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability) that the disability was caused by or aggravated by the Veteran’s active duty service.  All opinions rendered must be accompanied by a full rationale.

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	Marcus K. Jones, 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.