Citation Nr: 1319079	
Decision Date: 06/12/13    Archive Date: 06/21/13

DOCKET NO.  10-27 680A	)	DATE
	)
	)

On appeal from the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in St. Petersburg, Florida


THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss.

2.  Entitlement to service connection for arthritis.

3.  Entitlement to service connection for a disability manifested by left foot pain.

4.  Entitlement to service connection for a disability manifested by right knee pain.

5.  Entitlement to service connection for a disability manifested by left knee pain.

6.  Entitlement to service connection for a disability manifested by left hip pain.

7.  Entitlement to service connection for left wrist ganglion cyst.


REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by:	Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

K.S. Hughes, Counsel


INTRODUCTION

The appellant is a Veteran who served on active duty from May 2000 to June 2008.  This matter is before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a September 2008 rating decision of the St. Petersburg, Florida Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).

The appeal is REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC), in Washington, DC.  VA will notify the Veteran if action on his part is required.


REMAND

On his VA Form 9 received in July 2010, the Veteran indicated that he did not want a BVA (Board) hearing.  However, a May 2013 statement from his accredited representative states that the Veteran elects to have a Travel Board hearing.  Because the Veteran is entitled to hearing before the Board upon request, and because Travel Board hearings (as well as videoconference hearings) are scheduled by the RO, a remand is required.  See 38 U.S.C.A. § 7107; 38 C.F.R. § 20.700(a).


The case is REMANDED for the following:

The RO should schedule the Veteran for a Travel Board hearing (or a videoconference hearing in the alternative if he so desires) at the RO.  The case should thereafter be processed in accordance with established appellate practices.
The appellant has the right to submit additional evidence and argument on the matters the Board has remanded.  Kutscherousky v. West, 12 Vet. App. 369 (1999).  These claims must be afforded expeditious treatment.  The law requires that all claims that are remanded by the Board for additional development or other appropriate action must be handled in an expeditious manner.  


_________________________________________________
GEORGE R. SENYK
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).