Citation Nr: 21011275 Decision Date: 03/01/21 Archive Date: 03/01/21 DOCKET NO. 17-49 938 DATE: March 1, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) prior to February 11, 2020 is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from February 1982 to April 1986. This case comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from rating decisions from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In February 2020, the Veteran provided testimony before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge (VLJ). A copy of the hearing transcript has been associated with the electronic claims file. In an April 2020 Board decision, the Veteran’s claims for bilateral hearing loss and TBI were dismissed; an evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD prior to February 11, 2020 was denied but a 100 percent rating for PTSD was granted effective February 11, 2020; and entitlement to TDIU since February 11, 2020 was dismissed as moot. In addition, entitlement to TDIU prior to February 11, 2020 was remanded for further development. On remand, the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) requested information from the Veteran and, when he did not respond, the claim was denied in a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) dated in October 2020. The Veteran then submitted Social Security Administration (SSA) income verification records later in October 2020, but his appeal was returned to the Board without further consideration by the AOJ. The Veteran’s representative’s December 2020 IHP statement requested a remand of the issue back to the AOJ so that the new evidence could be reviewed and considered. As such, the Board finds that remand is appropriate to allow for AOJ consideration of the SSA records associated with the case file after October 2020. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: If necessary, schedule the Veteran for appropriate VA examinations to address the functional impact of each of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to work prior to February 2020. Then, adjudicate the issue of entitlement to TDIU prior to February 11, 2020 considering all pertinent evidence, to include all evidence added to the claims file since the last SSOC. MICHELLE L. KANE Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board G.Hoy, Associate 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.