Citation Nr: 21020909 Decision Date: 04/08/21 Archive Date: 04/08/21 DOCKET NO. 16-19 847 DATE: April 8, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to a rating higher than 30 percent for unspecified trauma-related disorder is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The appellant is a Veteran who served on active duty from September 30, 1978 to January 15, 1979. This case is before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a May 2015 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Decision Review Officer decision. In March 2019, a videoconference hearing was held before the undersigned; later that month the matter was remanded for additional development. Entitlement to a rating higher than 30 percent for unspecified trauma-related disorder. The March 2019 Board remand ordered development for a VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran’s psychiatric disability and to ask the Veteran to provide identifying information regarding treatment and releases for VA to obtain any outstanding records of the treatment. The initial request for releases was returned as undeliverable. Contact was made in December 2019 with the Veteran and an updated address was obtained. A VA record from March 2020 indicates that the Veteran’s VA examination was cancelled on February 14, 2020 due to a failure of the Veteran to RSVP to a January 30, 2020 phone call (phone number disconnected) and a January 31, 2020 letter mailed to the address obtained in December 2019. An SSOC issued in June 2020 indicates the claim was denied due to failure to attend his VA examination without providing good cause. July 2020 mail to the same address was returned as undeliverable. In March 2021 a new address for the Veteran was verified. What the record shows is the attempts to contact the Veteran (by mail and phone) in connection with the Board’s remand development instructions were directed to a disconnected phone and an address at which he no longer was residing; thus he was not adequately informed (which the Board finds to be good cause for failure to appear). Under these circumstances, a remand for completion of the development sought by the Board’s prior remand is indicated. The matter is REMANDED for the following: 1. With the Veteran’s co-operation (by providing identifying information and authorizations for VA to secure any no-VA records), secure complete up-to date records of his treatment for psychiatric disability (any outstanding). 2. When the development sought above is completed, arrange for a psychiatric examination of the Veteran to assess the severity of his service-connected psychiatric disability. His claims file must be reviewed by the examiner. The examiner should describe all symptoms of the psychiatric disability in detail, and comment on the impact the psychiatric symptoms have on the Veteran’s daily activity, social, and occupational functioning. All opinions must include rationale that cites to supporting factual data and medical principles. GEORGE R. SENYK Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board J. Baker, 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.