BVA9504182 
DOCKET NO.  93-08 458     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in St. Louis,
Missouri

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for hypertension.

2.  Entitlement to service connection for a disorder manifested
by complaints of chest pain.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Jeffrey J. Schueler, Associate Counsel

REMAND

The veteran had active duty from October 1969 to September 1971.

In his January 1993 substantive appeal, the veteran noted that he
was treated "right after discharge" at the Shreveport, Louisiana,
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center for high blood
pressure.  A request for records at the Shreveport VA Medical
Center was made in January 1974 and VA clinical records dated
October 1972 through March 1973 were received in February 1973.
To ensure that all pertinent clinical records prepared at the
Shreveport VA Medical Center are of record, the regional office
(RO) should request copies of any treatment records prepared
prior to October 1972 and after March 1973 regarding the
veteran's claims for hypertension or a disorder manifested by
complaints of chest pain.

The veteran also stated in the substantive appeal that he had
received disability benefits from the Social Security
Administration (SSA) in approximately 1972 or 1973.  The veteran
maintains that records associated with these disability benefits
are material to his claims, and a review of the record does not
indicate that an attempt has been made to obtain these records.
He has also indicated that he is seeking service connection for
heart blockage or heart disease.  This issue has not been
adjudicated by the RO.

To ensure that VA has met its duty to assist the appellant in
developing the facts pertinent to the claims, the case is
REMANDED to the RO for the following development:

1.  The RO should request that the veteran
supply the names and addresses of any
individuals or treatment facilities that
have treated him for hypertension or a
disorder manifested by complaints of chest
pains, including heart disease, since
February 1993, whether VA or private, and
the dates of such treatment.  After
receiving proper authorization from the
veteran, if necessary, the RO should obtain
copies of those records and associate them
with the claims folder.

2.  The RO should contact the Shreveport,
Louisiana, VA Medical Center to identify
any treatment records regarding care the
veteran received for hypertension or a
disorder manifested by complaints of chest
pain, prior to October 1972 and since March
1973.  The RO should obtain copies of those
records and associate them with the claims
folder.

3.  The RO should obtain from the SSA the
records pertinent to the appellant's claim
for Social Security disability benefits in
the early 1970's, as well as the medical
records relied upon concerning that claim.

4.  The veteran should be afforded a VA
cardiology examination to determine the
nature and severity of any cardiac
disorder.  The claims folder should be made
available to the examiner for review before
the examination.  The examination should be
conducted in accordance with the VA
Physician's Guide for Disability Evaluation
Examinations (1985), all appropriate
testing should be conducted, and all
findings should be reported in detail.  The
examiner should be requested to review the
record and question the veteran in order to
obtain a pertinent history to assist in the
examination.  The examiner should be
requested to express an opinion as to the
etiology of the veteran's claimed
hypertension and chest pain symptomatology,
if possible.

5.  After the development requested above
has been completed to the extent possible,
the RO should again review the record.  The
claim for service connection for heart
blockage or heart disease should be
adjudicated.  If any benefit sought on
appeal, for which a notice of disagreement
has been filed, remains denied, the
appellant and his representative should be
furnished a supplemental statement of the
case and given the opportunity to respond
thereto.

Thereafter, the case should be returned to the Board of Veterans'
Appeals (Board), if in order.  The Board intimates no opinion as
to the ultimate outcome of this case.  The appellant need take no
action until otherwise notified.

          WILLIAM J. REDDY
          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).