Citation Nr: 21029575
Decision Date: 05/14/21	Archive Date: 05/14/21

DOCKET NO. 15-17 201
DATE: May 14, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.

Entitlement to service connection for psoriasis is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran, who is the appellant, served on active duty from April 1987 to November 1988.  

In February 2018, a videoconference hearing was held before the undersigned.  A transcript of the hearing is associated with the Veteran's claims file.  

The case was previously before the Board in June 2018.  At that time, it was remanded for further development of the evidence. The case was returned to the Board and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and psoriasis was denied in a June 2020 decision.  The Veteran appealed this denial to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Court) and the Board's decision was vacated pursuant to a January 2021 Order, following a Joint Motion for Remand (JMR).  The parties agreed that the VA examination obtained pursuant to the Board's June 2018 remand was not sufficient for rating purposes to decide the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.  As such, a new examination was found to be necessary.  As the Veteran's claim of service connection for psoriasis was found intertwined with the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, this matter was also vacated and remanded in the JMR.  

Specifically, with respect to the January 2020 VA psychiatric examination, the January 2021 JMR found that while the VA examiner's negative nexus opinion noted that a psychiatric clinical evaluation in July 1988 was normal, the examiner did not take into consideration a July 1988 medical history report wherein the Veteran noted having depression or excessive worry.  Therefore, the opinion was considered to be conclusory and, thus, insufficient.  As such, remand is required to obtain a new VA medical opinion.  

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

Obtain an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding whether the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder is at least as likely as not related to service, including the history of depression and excessive worry noted in July 1988. 

 

 

A. ISHIZAWAR

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	Joseph P. Gervasio

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.