BVA9502859 
DOCKET NO.  93-04 107     )       DATE
          )
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On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Houston, Texas

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to a disability evaluation in excess of 30
percent for residuals of frozen feet.

2.  Entitlement to service connection for arthritis as secondary
to frozen feet.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

James L. March, Associate Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active service from December 1942 to December
1945.  He was a prisoner of war of the German government from
November 1944 to May 1945.  This appeal comes to the Board of
Veterans' Appeals (Board) from a September 1991 rating decision
of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO)
in Houston, Texas.

REMAND

In May 1991, the veteran filed claims for an increased disability
rating for residuals of frozen feet and for service connection
for arthritis of the lower extremities as secondary to frozen
feet.  The veteran requested that the RO obtain medical treatment
records from the Corpus Christi VA outpatient treatment center
dated from 1985 to the present in support of his claim.  Although
the RO apparently sent a request for these records, it appears
that the request was sent to an incorrect address.  In any event,
a response was never received from the VA outpatient treatment
center.  In addition, as the most recent VA medical examination
was conducted in April 1992, another examination is warranted in
order to properly decide the claim.

In light of the foregoing, the Board is remanding this case for
the following actions:

1.  The RO should contact the Corpus Christi
VA outpatient treatment center and request
copies of medical records concerning the
veteran's treatment from January 1985 to the
present.  If no records are forthcoming the
reasons therefore should be specifically
noted.

2.  The RO should arrange for a special VA
podiatric examination by a board certified
examiner, if available, to determine the
current extent of his service-connected
residuals of frozen feet.  The examiner
should be requested to comment on any tissue
loss, swelling, tenderness or redness or
neurological impairment.  All indicated
studies should be done.  It is imperative
that the claims folder and a copy of this
REMAND be provided to the examiner for
review prior to the examination.

3.  The RO should then readjudicate the
issues currently on appeal.

If the benefits sought on appeal are not granted to the veteran's
satisfaction, the veteran and his representative should be issued
a supplemental statement of the case for all issues in appellate
status and be afforded a reasonable opportunity to reply.
Thereafter, the case should be returned to the Board for further
appellate consideration, if otherwise in order.

In taking this action, the Board implies no conclusion as to any
ultimate outcome warranted.  No action is required of the veteran
until he is otherwise notified by the RO.

          F. JUDGE FLOWERS
          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) (1993).