Citation Nr: 21075861 Decision Date: 12/21/21 Archive Date: 12/21/21 DOCKET NO. 15-45 424 DATE: December 21, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a lumbar spine disorder is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder, is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The appellant had active duty for training (ACDUTRA) in the United States Army Reserves from December 1985 to April 1986 with additional periods of Reserves service. These matters come before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal of a September 2014 rating decision. In June 2019, the appellant and her daughter provided testimony before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge. A transcript of the hearing is of record. In November 2019, the Board remanded the claims for further development. 1. Entitlement to service connection for a lumbar spine disorder is remanded. 2. Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder, is remanded. 3. Entitlement to service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is remanded. The Board finds that for the following reasons, another remand is necessary. The appellant is currently diagnosed as having lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, major depressive disorder and carpal tunnel syndrome. She contends that she injured her back while on active duty in Germany in 2002. She claims states that the major depressive disorder is secondary to her back pain and that her bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is also due to her service. In the November 2019 remand, the Board instructed the Regional Office (RO) to verify all periods of the appellant's periods of ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA (inactive duty for training) during the appellant's additional Reserve service. A review of the record shows that additional verification of the appellant's periods of ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA remain incomplete. See February 2021 correspondence to appellant. Accordingly, there is not sufficient information of record to determine whether any claimed disability resulted from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated while performing ACDUTRA or from an injury incurred or aggravated while performing INACDUTRA. A January 2020 VA examination of the lumbar spine was conducted, and the examiner provided a negative nexus opinion. However, the examination was provided without consideration of the appellant's complete periods of qualifying service. The examiner also failed to consider the appellant's lay statements regarding the onset of her low back pain. Thus, after verification of the appellant's service dates, further VA opinion is warranted. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Contact all pertinent records repositories to determine all periods of the appellant's Reserve service, specifically indicating whether she was on active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA. 2. After verification of the appellant's service dates is completed, forward the claims file to an appropriate examiner for a records review and to provide an opinion with respect to the etiology of the appellant's lumbar spine disorder. The examiner must be provided with the appellant's enumerated periods of ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA. The examiner should opine as to whether it is at least as likely as not (at least a 50 percent probability) that a lumbar spine disorder had its clinical onset during any period of ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA or is related to any incident of service. A complete rationale must be provided for all opinions given. The examiner is asked to consider the lay statements of the appellant, particularly regarding the onset of lumbar pain. Evan M. Deichert Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board J. Henriquez, 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.