BVA9506448 
DOCKET NO.  93-13 094     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in New Orleans,
Louisiana

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to an increased rating for post-traumatic stress
disorder, currently rated 30 percent disabling.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: The American Legion

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Mark J. Swiatek, Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active military service from May 1944 to February
1946.

This appeal comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board)
from a December  1992 decision of the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in New Orleans, Louisiana, that
granted service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) and rated the disorder 30 percent disabling.

In a June 1994 communication, the veteran appears to have raised
the issue of service connection for a fungal infection of the
feet.  This matter has not previously been adjudicated.  It is
referred to the RO for further action.

REMAND

This case was received at the Board in June 1993.  Documents
subsequently added to the records assembled for appellate review
reflect that the veteran was hospitalized at a VA medical center
from June to August 1994 for treatment of PTSD.  The records of
this treatment have not yet been reviewed by the RO.
Additionally, the Board observes that in the above mentioned
June 1994 communication, the veteran asserted he was unemployable
and should receive a 100 percent rating.  The representative has
requested that the case be returned to the RO for additional
development.

To ensure that the VA has met its duty to assist the claimant in
developing the facts pertinent to the claim and to ensure full
compliance with due process requirements, the case is REMANDED to
the RO for the following development:

1.  The veteran should be provided with an
application for increased compensation
based on individual unemployability due to
service-connected disability.  At the same
time he should be asked to provide the
names and addresses of all medical care
providers who treated him recently for
PTSD.  After securing the necessary
release, the RO should obtain these
records.

2.  The veteran should be afforded a
psychiatric examination to determine the
current severity of his PTSD.  The claims
folder should be made available to the
examiner for review before the examination.
The examiner should elicit from the veteran
a detailed work history, as well as
historical medical and social data.  All
indicated psychological tests should be
accomplished.  All symptoms attributable to
PTSD should be identified.  The examiner
should assign a Global Assessment of Func-
tioning scale code and provide a narrative
describing the level of disability as
represented by the assigned code.  In
addition, the examiner should discuss the
impairment of initiative, efficiency and
reliability levels which may be
attributable to the PTSD.

3. When the above development has been
completed the RO should readjudicate the
veteran's claim.  If it has not been
rendered moot, the claim for a total rating
based on individual unemployability should
also be adjudicated.  The rating should
reflect consideration of the applicability
of the provisions of 38 C.F.R.
§§ 3.321(b)(1) and 4.16(b) or 4.16(c),
whichever may be applicable.

If any benefit sought on appeal is not granted to the
satisfaction of the veteran, a Supplemental Statement of the Case
should be issued and the veteran and his representative provided
the applicable time 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 notified by the RO.

          GARY L. GICK
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 deter-
mination.  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 action has been taken in
accordance with the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1994,
Pub. L. No. 103-446, § 303, 108 Stat. 4645, ___ (1994), and 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).