Citation Nr: 1318449	
Decision Date: 06/06/13    Archive Date: 06/11/13

DOCKET NO.  12-30 603A	)	DATE
	)
	)

On appeal from the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in San Diego, California


THE ISSUES

1. Entitlement to service connection for articular degenerative arthritis, left knee, status post multiple surgical procedures (left knee disability). 

2. Entitlement to an effective date earlier than August 11, 2006 for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with major depressive disorder, and psychotic features. 


ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

J.M. Rutkin, Associate Counsel








INTRODUCTION

The Veteran served on active duty from September 1967 to October 1970.  

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from February 2011 and April 2012 rating decisions of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in San Diego, California.

The appeal is REMANDED to the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office.  VA will notify the appellant if further action is required.


REMAND

Although the Veteran was initially scheduled to testify before the Board at VA's Central Office in Washington, DC on May 23, 2013, he has since been scheduled to testify at a Travel Board hearing on June 24, 2013 at the San Diego RO instead.  

Accordingly, the case is REMANDED for the following actions:

1. Send the Veteran a letter notifying him of the date, time, and location of the Travel Board hearing and associate a copy of the letter with the claims file.  

2. After the hearing is conducted, or if the Veteran withdraws his hearing request or fails to report for the scheduled hearing, the case should be returned to the Board for further review.

The Veteran has the right to submit additional evidence and argument on the matter or matters 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. 2012).




_________________________________________________
P.M. DILORENZO 
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) (2012).