Citation Nr: 18160286 Decision Date: 12/26/18 Archive Date: 12/26/18 DOCKET NO. 17-20 651 DATE: December 26, 2018 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a back disorder, including degenerative arthritis of the spine, is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for a left knee disorder, including degenerative arthritis, is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder, including degenerative arthritis, is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from March 1955 to February 1959. These claims are before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) following a July 2014 decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office (RO). Unfortunately, a remand is required in this case. While the Board sincerely regrets the delay, the Veteran’s claims are remanded for further development in accordance with VA’s duty to assist. Such development is necessary to aid the Board in making an informed decision, and will help ensure that the claims are afforded every consideration.   1. Entitlement to service connection for a back disorder, including degenerative arthritis of the spine, is remanded. 2. Entitlement to service connection for a left knee disorder, including degenerative arthritis, is remanded. 3. Entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder, including degenerative arthritis, is remanded. Service connection will be granted if the evidence demonstrates that a current disability resulted from an injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by active service, even if the disability was initially diagnosed after service. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 1131; 38 C.F.R. § 3.303. In this case, the fact that the Veteran has degenerative arthritis of the spine is not in question. However, there is no evidence of a connection to an injury in service currently in the Veteran’s claims file, other than the Veteran’s lay statements that he believes his degenerative arthritis is connected to the “inhumane treatment” he received during boot camp, and a statement July 2011 examination that he twisted his back after crawling next to a sand bag explosion. There are also no medical records concerning any knee or back problems between the Veteran’s discharge from service in 1959 and sometime in 2000. There is no record of the explosion incident in the Veteran’s service treatment records, but the service treatment records and service personnel records of record are minimal. Accordingly, the claim must be remanded for further development of his service treatment and personnel records, followed by a new VA examination. The analysis for the Veteran’s back condition, as described above, also applies to his knee conditions, with the further notes that his discharge examination indicates a scar on his left patella and that imaging studies dated in April 2014 indicated “old trauma” in the Veteran’s right knee. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Make arrangements to obtain the Veteran’s complete service treatment records, to include all clinical records, and his complete service personnel records. 2. Make arrangements to obtain the Veteran’s complete VA treatment records, dated from December 2016 forward. 3. Next, schedule the Veteran for appropriate VA examination(s) of his back and knees. The Veteran’s claims file, including a copy of this REMAND, must be made available to and reviewed by the examiner(s) in conjunction with the examination(s). The examiner(s) must note in the examination report that the evidence in the claims file has been reviewed. (a) The examiner(s) must identify all back and knee disorders found to be present. (b) The examiner(s) must provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (50% or greater probability) that any current knee disorder found to be present had its clinical onset during service or is related to any incident of service, to include the type of activities that the Veteran has described being subjected to in boot camp (i.e., being forced to duck walk holding his rifle over his head while carrying a heavy pack which caused swelling in his knees). • In providing this opinion, the examiner should acknowledge and address the Veteran’s February 1959 separation examination showing a scar on his left patella, as well as the post-service right knee x-ray in April 2014 showing old trauma with ossification in the medial collateral ligament. (c) The examiner(s) must provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (50% or greater probability) that any current back disorder found to be present had its clinical onset during service or is related to any incident of service, to include the type of activities that the Veteran has described being subjected to in boot camp (i.e., being forced to duck walk holding his rifle over his head while carrying a heavy pack) and/or the incident during combat training under live fire when he crawled next to a sand bag that exploded causing him to twist his back. All examination findings, along with the complete rationale for all opinions expressed, must be set forth in the examination report(s). P.M. DILORENZO Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD J. Haas, Associate Counsel