Citation Nr: 21021602 Decision Date: 04/13/21 Archive Date: 04/13/21 DOCKET NO. 20-07 904 DATE: April 13, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to an effective date prior to July 9, 2018 for the grant of an increased disability rating of 20 percent for degenerative joint disease (DJD), lumbosacral spine, is remanded. Entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease (DJD), right ankle, postoperative is remanded. Entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran had active military service from January 2003 to July 2004, from August 2004 to September 2006, from June 2007 to July 2008, and from June 2009 to October 2012. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a September 2018 rating decision of a VA Regional Office (RO). In an August 2018 correspondence, an attorney indicated that his firm represented the Veteran before the Social Security Administration (SSA) on an active SSA disability claim. This attorney noted that Veteran’s physicians were of the opinion that he was disabled and unable to work. No SSA medical or legal records are in the claims file, nor are there any statement from physicians indicating that the Veteran is too disabled to work. These records may include evidence of worsening of the back disability in the year prior to his August 2018 claim or of worsening of his right ankle disability. The TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with these claims, and evidence from the records may also be relevant to that claim. Accordingly, remand is necessary to attempt to obtain these records. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Identify and obtain any outstanding SSA records that are not already associated with the record. If these records are unavailable, a written statement to this effect must also be incorporated into the claims file. 2. Undertake any follow-up development deemed necessary in light of any newly received SSA records. A. C. MACKENZIE Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board E. Hicks, 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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.