Citation Nr: 0810015 Decision Date: 03/26/08 Archive Date: 04/09/08 DOCKET NO. 07-12 104 ) DATE ) ) On appeal from the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Phoenix, Arizona THE ISSUES 1. Entitlement to an increased (compensable) rating for hearing loss of the right ear. 2. Entitlement to service connection for hearing loss of the left ear. REPRESENTATION Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD L. J. Vecchiollo, Counsel INTRODUCTION The veteran served on active duty from May 1948 to May 1952. This matter came before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a September 2006 rating decision from the Phoenix, Arizona, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). This case was advanced on the docket, pursuant to 38 C.F.R. § 20.900(c). The appeal is REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC), in Washington, DC. VA will notify the appellant if further action is required. REMAND In April 2007, the veteran requested a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO. Because the RO schedules the hearings between the RO and the Board, a remand of this matter to the RO is necessary. Accordingly, this matter is hereby REMANDED to the RO for the following action: Schedule the veteran for a Travel Board hearing in accordance with his April 2007 request. The RO should notify the veteran and his representative of the date and time of the hearing in accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 20.704(b). After the hearing, the claims file should be returned to the Board in accordance with current appellate procedures. The appellant has the right to submit additional evidence and argument on the matter the Board has remanded. Kutscherousky v. West, 12 Vet. App. 369 (1999). This claim must be afforded expeditious treatment. The law requires that all claims that are remanded by the Board of Veterans' Appeals or by the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims for additional development or other appropriate action must be handled in an expeditious manner. See 38 U.S.C.A. §§ 5109B, 7112 (West Supp. 2007). _________________________________________________ RONALD W. SCHOLZ Veterans Law Judge, Board of Veterans' Appeals Under 38 U.S.C.A. § 7252 (West 2002), only a decision of the Board of Veterans' Appeals is appealable to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. This remand is in the nature of a preliminary order and does not constitute a decision of the Board on the merits of your appeal. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1100(b) (2007).