Citation Nr: 1508171	
Decision Date: 02/25/15    Archive Date: 03/11/15

DOCKET NO.  11-30 592	)	DATE
	)
	)

On appeal from the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Hartford, Connecticut


THE ISSUES

1. Entitlement to service connection for hearing loss.

2. Entitlement to service connection for tinnitus.

3. Entitlement to service connection for left hand jungle rot to include the palm and nails.

4. Entitlement to service connection for right shoulder condition.


REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by:	Disabled American Veterans


ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

A. Roggenkamp, Associate Counsel


INTRODUCTION

The Veteran had active service from October 1965 to August 1967. 

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a November 2010 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).

This appeal was processed using the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS) paperless claims processing system. Accordingly, any future consideration of this case should take into consideration the existence of this electronic record.

In November 2011, the Veteran requested a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge (VLJ).  Because that hearing request is still outstanding, the Board is remanding the claim to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ).


REMAND

In a November 2011 VA Form 9, the Veteran indicated he would like a videoconference hearing.  The hearing was scheduled for January 2015, but in early January 2015, the Veteran informed the Board he would be unable to attend on that date and requested that his hearing be rescheduled.  The Veteran is entitled to this hearing before deciding the appeal of his claim for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, left hand jungle rot, and right shoulder condition.  38 C.F.R. §§ 20.700(a), 20.704 (2014).

Accordingly, the case is REMANDED for the following action:

Schedule the Veteran for a videoconference hearing at the earliest opportunity.  Notify him and his representative of the date, time, and location of the hearing in accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 20.704(b) (2013).  After the hearing, the claims file should be returned to the Board in accordance with appellate procedures.

The appellant 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 2014).



_________________________________________________
K. PARAKKAL
Veterans Law Judge, Board of Veterans' Appeals

Under 38 U.S.C.A. § 7252 (West 2014), 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) (2014).