Citation Nr: 19114709 Decision Date: 02/28/19 Archive Date: 02/28/19 DOCKET NO. 15-27 415 DATE: February 28, 2019 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disability is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for a low back disability is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from April 1973 to April 1977 and from February 1980 to December 1985 with additional periods service with the Florida National Guard. This matter comes on appeal before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) from a March 2014 rating decision of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). By way of procedural background, the Veteran submitted claims for service connection for low back, left shoulder, and hearing loss disabilities. During the pendency of the claim, service connection was granted for hearing loss and tinnitus in a July 2015 rating decision. As this is a full grant of the benefits sought on appeal, these issues are no longer in appellate status. In October 2018, the Veteran testified before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge in a videoconference hearing. A copy of the hearing transcript is of record and has been reviewed. 1 & 2. Entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disability is remanded. At the October 2018 hearing, the Veteran indicated he received treatment at a VA hospital in Lake City, Florida, and that he also may have received treatment at a VA facility in Gainesville, Florida. No VA treatment records are associated with the claims file, although it appears the RO considered these records according to the July 2015 statement of the case. This case should be remanded to obtain all pertinent outstanding VA treatment records and associate them with the claims file. In addition, the Veteran has indicated twice that he injured his low back and left shoulder during a night jump at Fort Bragg in the summer of 1986. He reported being taken by a medic to the medical battalion by gamma goat truck and being placed on a reduced medical profile for 10 days. However, there are no legible service treatment records dated after discharge from his second period of service in December 1985. See December 2014 notice of disagreement (NOD) and the October 2018 hearing. Of note, the AOJ previously obtained personnel and service treatment records from the Florida National Guard. However, the scanned copies are illegible. It is unclear if the Veteran’s service in the Florida National Guard occurred before active service, in between his two periods of active service, after active service, or some combination. On remand, these records should be rescanned to the claims file, so they can be appropriately considered. After a reasonable effort, if legible copies of the records cannot be associated with the claims file, the file should be noted as such. Further, the AOJ should ensure that all service treatment and medical personnel records from both periods of active service and any service with the Florida National Guard are associated with the claims file. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Re-scan copies or obtain another copy of the Veteran’s military personnel and service treatment records provided by the Florida National Guard to the claims file. See military personnel records scanned February 5, 2014. If legible copies cannot be associated with the claims file, indicate as such in the file. 2. Ensure all of the Veteran’s military personnel and service treatment records have been obtained and are associated with the claims file for active service and any service with the Florida National Guard. See December 2014 notice of disagreement. 3. Request the Veteran identify each VA facility or Veteran center in which he has been treated or has sought treatment. Obtain any outstanding pertinent VA treatment records and associate them with the claims file, specifically from the VAMC in Lake City and Gainesville, Florida, and any other VA medical facilities the Veteran identifies. 4. After the above record development has been completed, request an addendum medical opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding the etiology of the low back and left shoulder disabilities. A thorough review of the claims file should be completed, and a complete rationale for each conclusion must be provided. (Continued on the next page)   5. Readjudicate the claims on appeal. S. B. MAYS Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD T. Harper, Associate Counsel