or the Board of Veterans’ Appeals be subject to trial de novo by the Court. (d) When a final decision of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals is adverse to a party and the sole stated basis for such decision is the failure of the party to comply with any applicable regulation prescribed by the Secretary, the Court shall review only questions raised as to compliance with and the validity of the regulation. 38 U.S.C. § 7261. The plain meaning of these sections clearly limits this Court’s jurisdiction to review a “decision of the Board.” 38 .U.S.C. § 7252(a). Nonetheless, from its inception, the Court has exercised its jurisdiction over issues which were implicit in the Board decision but which the Board did not specifically discuss. See, e.g., Fanning v. Brown, 4 Vet.App. 225, 229 (1993) (<HOLDING>); Ramas v. Derwinski, 1 Vet.App. 308, 313
holding that the board failed to provide adequate reasons and bases for its decision by not discussing the applicability of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability holding that the trial court is required to provide reasons for its decision prior to appeal recognizing that the board is not required to give reasons and bases for concluding that a medical examiner is competent unless the issue is raised by the veteran because doing otherwise would fault the board for failing to explain its reasoning on unraised issues holding that the boards statement of reasons or bases must be adequate to enable a claimant to understand the precise basis for the boards decision as well as to facilitate review in this court holding that a reviewing court is not to substitute its decision for that of the board