Citation Nr: 20003897 Decision Date: 01/16/20 Archive Date: 01/15/20 DOCKET NO. 17-53 516 DATE: January 16, 2020 REMANDED The issue of entitlement to an effective date earlier than October 17, 2014, for the grant of service connection for PTSD is remanded. The issue of entitlement to an effective date earlier than October 17, 2014, for the grant of service connection for hearing loss is remanded. The issue of entitlement to an effective date earlier than October 17, 2014, for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from October 1967 to October 1970. This matter is before the Board following his appeal of April 2015 and June 2015 rating decisions. In October 2019, the Veteran testified before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge; a transcript of the hearing is of record. The Veteran contends that effective dates earlier than October 17, 2014, are warranted for the grants of service connection for PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus, because he filed earlier claims for service connection in 2006 that remained pending at the time of the initial service connection grants. The Board’s initial review of the claims file does not show that service connection claims for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were filed prior to October 2014. Nevertheless, it is possible that there was a temporary file at some point, which may contain information relating to potentially filed claims. In this regard, a January 2007 RO email following up on a request for permanent transfer of the Veteran’s claims file references a previous request for the claims file that was made on December 19, 2006. However, no such December 2006 request appears in the claims file. Thus, prior to adjudicating the Veteran’s claim, the Board wants to ensure that there are no relevant outstanding records related to any claims filed in December 2006. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: Determine whether a temporary file exists and, if so, request that the records in that file be scanned into the electronic file. If there is no temporary file, take action to obtain any outstanding documents related to any claim(s) filed in 2006, to include a December 2006 request for permanent transfer of the Veteran’s claims file. S. C. Krembs Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board A. Fagan 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 This decision is not precedential, and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.