Citation Nr: 1644199	
Decision Date: 11/22/16    Archive Date: 12/01/16

DOCKET NO.  12-31 618	)	DATE
	)
	)

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


THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU).

2.  Entitlement to an increased rating for ischemic heart disease, currently rated as 30 percent disabling.

3.  Entitlement to an increased rating for diabetes mellitus, currently rated as 20 percent disabling.

4.  Entitlement to an increased rating for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, currently rated as 20 percent disabling.

5.  Entitlement to an increased rating for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, currently rated as 20 percent disabling.




REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by:	The American Legion


ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

A. Fagan, Counsel


INTRODUCTION

The Veteran served on active duty from May 1965 to May 1967.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a July 2011 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).

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


REMAND

Although the Veteran did not request a hearing in his original substantive appeal received in October 2012, in a subsequent VA Form 9 received by VA in November 2012, he requested a Travel Board hearing.  He has not yet been afforded his requested hearing.  Therefore, remand is necessary in order to afford the Veteran his requested Board hearing.

Accordingly, the case is REMANDED for the following action:

Schedule the Veteran for a Travel Board hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.
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).



_________________________________________________
S. C. KREMBS
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).