Citation Nr: 21024901
Decision Date: 04/26/21	Archive Date: 04/26/21

DOCKET NO. 19-15 876A
DATE: April 26, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from June 1956 to May 1958.  This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) from a January 2018 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).

In June 2019, the Veteran requested a hearing with a Veterans Law Judge and in August 2020, the Veteran withdrew his hearing request.

1. Entitlement to service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded.

The Veteran’s service treatment records and personnel records are not available. The Board finds that a VA examination would assist in addressing the claim. Updated treatment records should also be obtained. 

In remanding these matters, the Board makes no finding, implicit or otherwise, as to the credibility of the Veteran's assertions. Neither the Veteran's credibility nor any lack thereof should be presumed in this remand. 

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

1. Ask the Veteran to provide the names and addresses of all medical care providers who have treated him for his mental health.  After securing any necessary releases, request any relevant records identified that are not duplicates of those in the claims file. In addition, obtain updated VA treatment records. If any requested records are unavailable, the Veteran should be notified of such.

2. Schedule the Veteran for a PTSD examination. The claims file must be reviewed in conjunction with the examination. All indicated tests should be conducted     and the results reported. 

After review of the claims file and examination of the Veteran, the examiner should indicate whether the Veteran meets the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and if so, should identify the stressors upon which the diagnosis is based. If the Veteran is diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, the examiner should opine whether it is at least as likely as not the condition is related to the claimed events during service. A rationale for all opinions expressed should be provided.

 

3. If the claim remains denied, issue a supplemental statement of the case. 

 

 

K. A. BANFIELD

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

Attorney for the Board	A. Lance, 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.