Citation Nr: 1603110	
Decision Date: 02/01/16    Archive Date: 02/11/16

DOCKET NO.  14-22 150	)	DATE
	)
	)

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


THE ISSUE

Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disorder. 


REPRESENTATION

Veteran represented by:	California Department of Veterans Affairs


ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

L. Jeng, Counsel



INTRODUCTION

The Veteran served on active duty in the United States Army from June 1982 to May 1985. 
 
This case comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (the Board) on appeal from an October 2013 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Providence, Rhode Island.  Jurisdiction of the matter has since been transferred to the RO in San Diego, California.  

This appeal was processed using the Virtual VA/VBMS paperless claims processing system.  Accordingly, any future consideration of this Veteran's case should take into consideration the existence of this electronic record.

The appeal is REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ).  VA will notify the Veteran if further action is required.


REMAND

In a statement received in December 2014, the Veteran requested a hearing in San Diego before the Board.  A hearing on appeal will be granted to an appellant who requests a hearing and is willing to appear in person.  38 C.F.R. § 3.103(c) (2015).   

Accordingly, the case is REMANDED for the following action:

Schedule the Veteran for a videoconference or travel board hearing, based on her preference, before a Veterans Law Judge.  All correspondence, to specifically include any letters notifying the Veteran of the scheduled hearing, should be associated with the claims folder.

The Veteran 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 2014).



_________________________________________________
K. MILLIKAN
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) (2015).