Citation Nr: 21009667 Decision Date: 02/23/21 Archive Date: 02/23/21 DOCKET NO. 18-00 538 DATE: February 23, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from February 1996 to June 1996 and from January 2003 to January 2004. This case comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal of a January 2016 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office. This case was previously before the Board in January 2020. The Veteran appeared before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge in December 2019 and delivered sworn testimony via video conference hearing in Jackson, Mississippi. A VA examination concerning the issue on appeal was scheduled for March 2020. In correspondence received in August 2020, the Veteran explained as to why he was unable to attend the March 2020 VA examination. The Veteran explained that he does not check his PO Box regularly and did not understand that it was business as usual as it was the beginning stages of Covid-19. The Board finds that good cause has been provided as to the request to reschedule another VA examination. Therefore, the Veteran should be allowed another opportunity to appear for a VA examination. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Provide the Veteran with an appropriate examination for his psychiatric disorder claim. The entire claims file must be made available to and be reviewed by the examiner. Any indicated tests and studies must be accomplished and all clinical findings must be reported in detail and correlated to a specific diagnosis. An explanation for all opinions expressed must be provided. First, the examiner must provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater) that each currently diagnosed psychiatric disorder had its onset in service or is etiologically related to the Veteran’s active service. Second, the examiner must also provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater) that each currently diagnosed psychiatric disability is caused or aggravated by service-connected disabilities, to include HIV and right hand scars. The examiner must address the following: 1) the Veteran’s service treatment records; 2) the June 2004 VA examination; 3) the November 2017 VA examination; and 4) the Veteran’s December 2019 Board hearing testimony outlining two in-service incidents. 4. Notify the Veteran that it is his responsibility to report for any scheduled examination and to cooperate in the development of the claim, and that the consequences for failure to report for a VA examination without good cause may include denial of the claim. 38 C.F.R. § 3.158, 3.655 (2020). In the event that the Veteran does not report for any scheduled examination, documentation must be obtained which shows that notice scheduling the examination was sent to the last known address. It must also be indicated whether any notice that was sent was returned as undeliverable. If the Veteran does not report for the examination, please attempt to reschedule via phone. K. MILLIKAN Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board David Nelson 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.