Citation Nr: 1329079	
Decision Date: 09/11/13    Archive Date: 09/17/13

DOCKET NO.  13-09 182A	)	DATE
	)
	)

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


THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for residuals of cold weather injuries of the upper extremities.  

2.  Entitlement to service connection for residuals of cold weather injuries of the lower extremities.

3.  Entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.  

4.  Entitlement to service connection for tinnitus.  

5.  Entitlement to service connection for sinusitis.  

6.  Entitlement to service connection for asthma.  


REPRESENTATION

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

Bordewyk, Alicia R.


INTRODUCTION

The Veteran had certified active duty from April 1952 to March 1954.  

This case comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a March 2011 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in St. Petersburg, Florida, which, in pertinent part, denied entitlement to the above claimed benefits.

Please note this appeal has been advanced on the Board's docket pursuant to 38 C.F.R. § 20.900(c) (2012).  38 U.S.C.A. § 7107(a)(2) (West 2002).

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 his substantive appeal, received in April 2013, the Veteran requested a Decision Review Officer (DRO) hearing.  In August 2013, the Veteran requested a videoconference hearing before the Board in lieu of a DRO hearing.  Since he currently resides in Puerto Rico, he requested that the videoconference hearing be scheduled at the San Juan RO.  He is entitled to a Board hearing.  38 C.F.R. § 20.700 (2013).  Therefore, a remand is necessary to provide the Veteran with the requested hearing.  

Accordingly, the case is REMANDED for the following action:

(Please note, this appeal has been advanced on the Board's docket pursuant to 38 C.F.R. § 20.900(c) (2013).  Expedited handling is requested.)

The Veteran should be scheduled for a Board videoconference hearing (if feasible) at the San Juan RO.

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 2002 & Supp. 2012).



_________________________________________________
THOMAS J. DANNAHER
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) (2013).