BVA9505671 
DOCKET NO.  93- 11 559    )       DATE
          )
          )

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

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for right hallux rigidus.

2.  Entitlement to an increased (compensable)  evaluation for
residuals of a right foot contusion.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Veterans of Foreign Wars of the
United States

WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL

Appellant

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Nadine W. Benjamin,  Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran served on active duty from June 1943 to December
1945.  This appeal comes to the Board of Veterans' Appeals
(Board) on appeal from a December 1992 rating decision by the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in St.
Petersburg, Florida.

REMAND

The veteran seeks service connection for right hallux rigidus and
a compensable evaluation for his service-connected residuals of a
contusion of the right foot.  The Board notes that the veteran
reported in his January 1993 Notice of Disagreement that he had
been told by VA physicians that his right hallux rigidus was due
directly to his service-connected residuals of a contusion of his
right foot.

The veteran testified at his May 1993 personal hearing that he
had been treated by many physicians over the years for his right
foot complaints.  He stated that he had been treated by Dr.
Saffron and Dr. Sloan and reported the physicians were located in
Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania and in Houston, Pennsylvania.  He also
noted that he had been treated at Cannonsburg General Hospital
and underwent X-rays which were reported to show arthritis many
years ago.  Efforts to secure records concerning treatment of the
veteran have not been made.

In view of the foregoing, the case is hereby REMANDED to the RO
for the following development:

1.  The RO should contact the veteran and
request that he identify the names,
addresses and approximate dates of
treatment for all VA and non-VA  health
care providers who have treated him for
right foot disability at any time since
service.  With any necessary authorization
from the veteran, the RO should attempt to
obtain copies of pertinent treatment
records identified by the veteran which are
not currently of record.

2.  Then, the RO should schedule the
veteran for an examination by a board
certified orthopedist, if available, to
evaluate the current manifestations of the
veteran's service-connected residuals of a
right foot contusion.  All manifestations
of current disability should be documented
in full, and any indicated tests, including
X-rays, should be performed.  The examiner
should also review the claims folder and
provide an opinion regarding the etiology
of the veteran's right hallux rigidus, to
include whether it is at least as likely as
not that it is etiologically related to
service trauma or the veteran's service-
connected residuals of a right foot
contusion.  A complete rationale should be
given for all opinions and conclusions
expressed.  The claims folder must be made
available to the examiner for review prior
to the examination.

3.  Thereafter, the RO should undertake any
other indicated development, and
readjudicate the issues on appeal.

If the benefits sought on appeal are not granted to the
satisfaction of the veteran, a Supplemental Statement of the Case
should be issued, and the veteran and his representative should
be provided an opportunity to respond.  Thereafter, the case
should be returned to the Board for further consideration, if
otherwise in order.  By this remand, the Board intimates no
opinion as to any final outcome warranted.  No action is required
of the veteran until he is otherwise notified by the RO.

          SHANE A. DURKIN
          Member, Board of Veterans' Appeals

The Board of Veterans' Appeals Administrative Procedures
Improvement Act, Pub. L. No. 103-271, § 6, 108 Stat. 740, ___
(1994), permits a proceeding instituted before the Board to be
assigned to an individual member of the Board for a
determination.  This proceeding has been assigned to an
individual member of the Board.

Under 38 U.S.C.A. § 7252 (West 1991), only a decision of the
Board of Veterans' Appeals is appealable to the United States
Court of Veterans Appeals.  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) (1994).