Citation Nr: 20022544
Decision Date: 04/01/20	Archive Date: 04/01/20

DOCKET NO. 19-30 262
DATE:  April 1, 2020

REMANDED

Entitlement to nonservice-connected pension benefits is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran had active naval service from September 1971 to March 1975. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a March 2018 administrative decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Pension Management Center.

The Board finds that additional development is required before the appeal is decided. In an October 2019 substantive appeal, the Veteran indicated that he would submit additional evidence and/or argument. In January 2020, he filed VA Form 21P-527ez, Application for Veteran’s Pension, with medical expense information that may be relevant to his claim. Therefore, the Board finds that the Veteran should be provided an additional opportunity to provide evidence of unreimbursed medical expenses for the period of December 5, 2017, to December 31, 2018, to determine income eligibility for nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

1. Contact the Veteran and request that he submit a Medical Expense Report for the period of December 5, 2017, to December 31, 2018.

2. Then, readjudicate the appeal. If the decision remains adverse to the Veteran, issue a supplemental statement of the case and allow the appropriate time for response. Then, return the case to the Board.

 

 

Kristin Haddock

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

Attorney for the Board	D. Ware, Associate Counsel

The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.