Citation Nr: 20003265 Decision Date: 01/14/20 Archive Date: 01/14/20 DOCKET NO. 17-05 856 DATE: January 14, 2020 REMANDED The issue of a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety disorder and a somatic symptom disorder, is remanded. The issue of service connection for a low back disorder is remanded. The issue of service connection for a right lower extremity disorder, to include sciatica, is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran had active duty service from July 1968 to July 1972. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a September 2015 rating decision of the VA Regional Office (RO) in San Diego, California. A Statement of the Case was issued for the Veteran’s claims in January 2017. Subsequently, new treatment records relevant to his claims were associated with his claims file, to include VA treatment records. In November 2019, the Board sent the Veteran a letter asking whether he would waive agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) review of the new evidence. To date, the Veteran has not waived AOJ review. Therefore, remand of the issue on appeal is necessary. See 38 C.F.R. §§ 19.37, 20.1304. The case is REMANDED for the following action: Readjudicate the issues on appeal with due consideration of all evidence. If any benefit sought on appeal remains denied, the Veteran should be provided a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC). An appropriate period should be allowed for response before the case is returned to the Board. The Veteran has the right to submit additional evidence and argument on the matter or matters the Board has remanded. Kutscherousky v. West, 12 Vet. App. 369 (1999). This claim must be afforded expeditious treatment. The law requires that all claims that are remanded by the Board or by the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims for additional development or other appropriate action must be handled in an expeditious manner. See 38 U.S.C. §§ 5109B, 7112 (2012). Vito A. Clementi Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board Carolyn M. Colley 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 This decision is not precedential, and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.