Citation Nr: 21041248 Decision Date: 07/08/21 Archive Date: 07/08/21 DOCKET NO. 03-04 284 DATE: July 8, 2021 REMANDED Service connection for a back disorder. REASONS FOR REMAND In July 2019, the Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a back disorder. Subsequently, he appealed to the Veterans Claims Court. In November 2020, the Court Clerk granted a Joint Motion for Remand (JMR), vacating the Board's decision and remanding it for further development to include addressing the Veteran's report of receiving in-service treatment for his back disorder at Balboa Hospital. Pursuant to the JMR, the matter is REMANDED for the following actions: 1. Identify and obtain any pertinent, outstanding VA and private treatment records that are not currently of record, to specifically include all records from Balboa Hospital, and associate them with the claims file. All attempts to obtain the treatment records from Balboa Hospital should be fully documented, and a negative response must be provided if the records do not exist or are not available. 2. If records from Balboa Hospital are obtained, then direct the claims file to an appropriate clinician to address the Veteran's back disorder. The clinician is asked to provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (a 50 percent probability or greater) that the Veteran's back disorder is etiologically related to service. In forming the opinion, the examiner must address the treatment records obtained from Balboa Hospital. The rationale for all opinions must be provided. 3. If the clinician determines that an examination is necessary in order to provide the requested opinion, then one should be scheduled. L. HOWELL Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board A. Spigelman, 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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.