Citation Nr: 22040158
Decision Date: 07/13/22	Archive Date: 07/13/22

DOCKET NO. 19-30 618
DATE: July 13, 2022

REMANDED

Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety and mood disorder, is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from August 1974 to August 1977 and from September 1977 to March 1982.

On appeal is a November 2018 rating decision issued by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) that denied service connection for a mental disorder.

The Veteran testified at a videoconference hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge in November 2021. A transcript of that hearing has been associated with the claims file. The matter is now before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) for appellate review.

Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety and mood disorder, is remanded.

The Board finds that additional development is required before the Board can render a decision in this matter.

The Veteran contends that he has an acquired psychiatric disorder due to his service. More specifically, the Veteran reports multiple in-service stressors, including an incident where he was stabbed; witnessing the death of a friend after a car wreck; and a motorcycle accident.   

The Veteran's service treatment records reflect that he was treated for wounds after being stabbed in the back after an altercation, and that he was involved in an auto accident where he was unconscious for 15-30 minutes. As such, the Board concedes the Veteran's stressors.

The Veteran's post-service treatment records from the Tennessee Valley VAMC reflect the Veteran was diagnosed with anxiety in February 2022, and also diagnosed with a mood disorder in March 2022.

Because the question of whether a disability such as anxiety, mood disorder, or any other psychiatric disorder is related to the Veteran's service is a medical question requiring expertise, it is necessary for the Board to remand this issue for a VA medical examination and opinion. 38 U.S.C. § 5103A(d); McLendon v. Nicholson, 20 Vet. App. 79 (2006). The Board acknowledges a VA examination was obtained in October 2018, but at that time, the examiner only diagnosed the Veteran with alcohol use disorder and cannabis use disorder; since that time, as discussed above, he has been diagnosed with both anxiety and a mood disorder.

The matter is REMANDED for the following action:

Schedule the Veteran for a VA examination with an appropriate medical professional to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety and mood disorder. 

The examiner must offer an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not that any diagnosed psychiatric disorder had its onset in service or is otherwise related to service. 

In rendering this conclusion, the examiner must specifically discuss:  

	The Veteran's February 2022 diagnosis of anxiety, 

	The Veteran's March 2022 diagnosis of mood disorder, 

	The Veteran's reports of a stabbing and motor vehicle incidents in service, which are confirmed in his service treatment records, and

	The Veteran's reports of symptomatology during service and thereafter.

 

 

Caroline B. Fleming

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	Bess, T.

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.