Veterans' Adjudication and Appeals Improvements Act of 1993

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Adjudication Improvements

Title II: Board of Veterans' Appeals Improvements

Title III: Court of Veterans Appeals Improvements

Veterans' Adjudication and Appeals Improvements Act of 1993 - Title I: Adjudication Improvements - Authorizes (currently, directs) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to require an annual income statement from persons receiving pension benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Reduces from one year to 120 days the time period for a Department claim applicant to respond to a notice of an incomplete application.

Limits the review of reopened claims to the issue to which the new and material evidence is related.

Limits the retroactive effective date of an award based on clear error to ten years before receipt of the allegation of such error.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) report to specified congressional committees a plan for the reorganization of adjudication divisions located within the regional offices of the Veterans Benefits Administration; and (2) enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Defense for the immediate transfer to the Department of the service medical records of individuals separated from the armed forces.

Title II: Board of Veterans' Appeals Improvements - Repeals the current 65-person limit on the size of the Board of Veterans' Appeals. Requires the Chairman of the Board to be subject to the same ethical and legal limitations that apply to judges of the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals. Repeals the requirement of an annual report on the number of temporary members appointed to the Board. Revises provisions concerning: (1) assignment of matters before the Board from the Chairman to other Board members; (2) determinations made by Board members (with a review of each decision by the Chairman or Vice Chairman); and (3) Board jurisdiction.

Reduces from one year to 120 days: (1) the period for the filing of a notice of disagreement and appeal to a Board decision; and (2) administrative appeals of decisions by designated officials of the Department.

Provides procedures for a Board hearing of an applicant's appeal, allowing such hearing to take place at either the Board's principal location or a regional office of the Department.

Title III: Court of Veterans Appeals Improvements - Requires the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals to review the entire record (currently, the record) of the previous proceedings before the Secretary and the Board. Prohibits the Court from considering an issue not presented on appeal to the Board.