Citation Nr: 21063358 Decision Date: 10/14/21 Archive Date: 10/14/21 DOCKET NO. 16-57 461 DATE: October 14, 2021 REMANDED Service connection for a low back disability is remanded. Service connection for osteoarthritis of the right hip is remanded. Service connection for hypertension is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from January 1980 to December 1985 and from December 1991 to May 1991. The Veteran also had service in the National Guard. Low Back Right Hip Hypertension The Board finds that the VA examinations performed in December 2019 regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions are inadequate for adjudication purposes. First, the Veteran had service in the National Guard and information regarding his ACDUTRA and INACTDUTRA service does not appear to be a part of the record. Second, it appears that the Veteran's full period of active duty service, noted above, was not correctly stated by the VA examiner. Third, and finally, the examiner indicated in the examination of the Veteran's back that the Veteran did not have in-service treatment for his back. However, the Veteran's service treatment records (STRs) show that the Veteran reported low back pain in April 1982. Based on the foregoing, remand is necessary to obtain information on the Veteran's National Guard service and conduct new examinations which consider his full periods of active duty service and all STRs associated with those periods. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Contact the NPRC or any other appropriate facility and obtain the Veteran's complete service treatment records and military personnel file for the dates of the Veteran's service verified by his DD Form 214, as well as all periods of the Veteran's ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA in the National Guard. Document all requests for information as well as all responses in the claims file. 2. Obtain all outstanding service treatment records not already of record associated with his National Guard duty for incorporation into the record. 3. After the above-requested records are associated with the Veteran's file, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination with an appropriately qualified examiner to obtain an opinion as to the nature and etiology of his low back disability, right hip disability, and hypertension. The claims file and all pertinent records must be made available to the examiner for review. The precise dates of the Veterans' active duty, active duty for training (ACDUTRA), and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA) service must be provided to the physician. The examiner should state whether it is as least as likely as not (a 50 percent or greater probability) that the Veteran's low back disability, right hip disability, or hypertension is the result of injury or disease incurred in or aggravated during the Veteran's active service, including any period of ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA. Specifically, as to the Veteran's right hip, the examiner is asked to opine whether the Veteran's right hip disability was at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability) proximately due to or aggravated beyond its natural progression by the Veteran's back disability. The examiner is asked to address an April 1982 service treatment record which documents the Veteran's complaint of back pain. The Veteran's lay assertions as to onset and continuity of symptomatology should be recorded and considered. A complete rationale for all opinions must be provided. If the examiner cannot provide any requested opinion without resorting to speculation, a reason must be clearly stated. JOHN Z. JONES Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board A. Parrish, Counsel 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.