Citation Nr: 21013712 Decision Date: 03/10/21 Archive Date: 03/10/21 DOCKET NO. 13-16 870 March 10, 2021 REMANDED Service connection for a low back disability is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty with the United States Army from August to December 1976 and from March 2000 to March 2002, with additional unverified periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA). This matter is before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a July 2010 rating decision. In September 2018, the Board remanded the low back claim for further development. With respect to the other remanded claims, the Veteran opted into the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) and they will be addressed in a separate Board decision. 1. Service connection for a low back disability is remanded. As noted above, the Veteran’s claim for service connection for a low back disability was previously before the Board in September 2018 at which time it was remanded for additional development. Pursuant to the remand, the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) was directed to obtain a VA examination and updated VA treatment records. A VA examination was provided in December 2019 and updated treatment records were obtained. However, the AOJ did not issue a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) discussing and evaluating the new evidence. Additionally, the Veteran’s representative submitted a correspondence dated October 2020 to the Board explicitly requesting that the claim be remanded for consideration by the AOJ. Accordingly, remand is necessary for the AOJ to issue a SSOC considering all of the evidence of record. The matter is REMANDED for the following action: Readjudicate the claim for service connection for a low back disability based on all the evidence of record, to include the December 2019 VA examination report. 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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.