Citation Nr: 22017374 Decision Date: 03/24/22 Archive Date: 03/24/22 DOCKET NO. 20-07 968 DATE: March 24, 2022 REMANDED Entitlement for a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from July 2000 to September 2004. This matter is on appeal from an October 2018 rating decision. The Veteran testified before the undersigned Acting Veterans Law Judge at a February 2022 Board hearing. By way of history, the Veteran was granted service connection for PTSD and was assigned a 50 percent rating, effective September 8, 2016, by an October 2018 rating decision. The Veteran filed a Notice of Disagreement in January 2019, arguing for a higher rating. At his February 2022 Board hearing, the Veteran testified that his PTSD worsened since his last VA examination in 2018. His spouse indicated that they have experienced significant difficulties in their marriage due to the Veteran's anxiety and anger. The Veteran indicated that he no longer wants to go out of his house and does not want to go work. He relies heavily on medication to control his symptoms. However, the adverse effects of his medication results in his listlessness and lack of motivation. His PTSD has caused difficulties with concentration at work. He has since missed several workdays, which have significantly decreased his income over the last year. Moreover, he was suspended from work after a physical altercation with his boss. He indicated that his anger is often directed at both strangers and people he knows. He no longer spends any time with his friends and has alienated himself from others. Furthermore, the Veteran has had some passive suicidal ideas, but the only thing that is preventing him from going through with it are his daughters. In support of his claim, the Veteran's wife submitted a February 2022 statement, describing the Veteran's worsened symptoms. She indicated that the Veteran has been increasingly hard to live with over the last few years due to his anger and chronic depression. She has filed for divorce several times but has not been successful due to the Veteran's refusal to comply. However, despite the Veteran's attempt to improve his psychiatric condition and his marriage, he has not shown any improvements. In fact, he has threatened suicide on several occasions. The Veteran's last examination took place in July 2018. Since then, he has demonstrated sufficient evidence showing that his psychiatric condition has deteriorated. Thus, the Board finds that a remand is warranted to afford the Veteran a new VA examination. Additionally, the record reflects that the Veteran receives ongoing VA mental health treatment. The most recent VA treatment records in the claim file are from April 2020. Any updated records of VA treatment the Veteran has received since then should be obtained for the record. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: (Continued on the next page) 1. Obtain any updated records of VA mental health treatment the Veteran has received since April 2020. 2. Thereafter, schedule the Veteran a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected PTSD. T. V. CASEY Acting Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board Yeh, Nicole 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.