Citation Nr: 21023338 Decision Date: 04/20/21 Archive Date: 04/20/21 DOCKET NO. 17-32 231 DATE: April 20, 2021 ORDER An initial rating in excess of 30 percent disabling for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include unspecified depressive disorder, insomnia disorder, with a history of alcohol use disorder, in remission, also claimed as PTSD and anxiety, is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from October 1982 to October 1987. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a December 2016 rating decision (notification on January 16, 2017) from a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) that granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and assigned an initial 30 percent rating, effective September 2, 2008. Historically, a July 2009 rating decision denied service connection for PTSD, which the Veteran timely appealed. Subsequently, service connection was granted the December 2016 rating decision now on appeal. The Veteran appealed the initial 30 percent rating. The Veteran testified at a videoconference hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge in February 2021 regarding the initial rating issue. A transcript of the hearing has been associated with the electronic file. At the hearing, the Veteran requested that the record be held open for 30 days for the submission of additional evidence. To date, the Veteran has not submitted any additional evidence. Since the requested time has elapsed, the Board will adjudicate this appeal. An initial rating in excess of 30 percent disabling for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded. The Veteran contends that his service connected acquired psychiatric disorder to include unspecified depressive disorder, insomnia disorder, with a history of alcohol use disorder, in remission, also claimed as PTSD and anxiety (acquired psychiatric disorder) warrants a rating higher than the assigned 30 percent rating. See NOD received 3/08/2017 at page 1. At the 2021 Board hearing, the Veteran was by his attorney representative is his mental health disability has gotten better, stayed the same, or worsened since 2017. The Veteran responded that he thought it had gotten worse, noting that since he has more time it has worsened. Additionally, the Board notes that the record does not reflect that updated treatment records have been associated with the claims file since 2017. The Veteran testified that he has treatment with a non-VA therapist and last saw them in November 2020. Based on these factors, the Board finds a remand is warranted to seek to obtain any new, relevant treatment records and for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected mental health disorder. 38 C.F.R. § 3.327(a) (2020). This matter is remanded for the following actions: 1. Obtain any outstanding VA psychiatric treatment records, if any. If none, document the file noting such. 2. Request the Veteran authorize VA to obtain any non-VA psychiatric treatment records. Also, inform the Veteran that he may obtain any private records and submit them to VA. See Hearing Transcript received 2/09/2021, at 3-4.   3. After associating any records from directives #1 and #2, schedule the Veteran for a VA psychiatric examination. The examiner is to answer all questions utilizing the latest worksheet. Paul Sorisio Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board S. Dixon, 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.