BVA9505989 
DOCKET NO.  93-14 137     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Detroit,
Michigan

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to a total rating based on individual unemployability
due to service-connected disabilities.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

J. F. Gussio,  Associate Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active military service from March 1950 to
January 1952.

REMAND

The veteran's representative has argued that the veteran's
neuropsychiatric impairment has increased in severity.  He notes
that the veteran was seen for depression and paranoia by a
private physician in April 1993.  He also asserts that veteran
should have been examined by a specialist in the field of
psychiatry.  It is maintained that pertinent records of the State
of Michigan Disability Determination Program and Social Security
Administration may exist.   The representative has specifically
requested that further medical evaluation be undertaken.

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

1.  The RO should obtain the names and
addresses of all medical care providers who
treated the veteran for his service-
connected disabilities from 1992.  After
securing necessary releases, the RO should
obtain the complete records of each
provider identified by the veteran.  Copies
of the actual clinical records, rather than
narrative reports or statements, should be
obtained.

2.  The RO should obtain the veteran's
records from the Michigan Disability
Determination Program.

3.  The RO should obtain any pertinent
records for the veteran maintained by the
Social Security Administration.

4.  Following the above development, the
veteran should be scheduled for a
comprehensive VA examination to determine
the current severity of his service-
connected disabilities.  The examinations
must be conducted in accordance with the VA
Physician's Guide for Disability Evaluation
Examinations. The examiners should
determine the current severity of the
veteran's service-connected disabilities
and comment on each disability as it
affects his social and industrial
impairment.

5.  The veteran should also be afforded a
psychiatric examination.  All indicated
tests, including appropriate psychological
studies with applicable subscales, must be
conducted.  The claims folder must be made
available to and reviewed by the examiner
prior to the evaluation.   In addition, the
examiner should identity all psychiatric
disorders found on the examination.  If any
psychiatric disorder other than or in
addition to hypochondrias is diagnosed, the
examiner should comment on the causal or
etiological relationship, if any, between
such disorder and hypochondrias.  The
examiner must also assign a Global
Assessment of Functioning Score, solely for
the service-connected disability consistent
with the American Psychiatric Association's
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for
Mental Disorders and explain what the
assigned score represents.  Finally, the
examiner should provide an opinion as to
how each specific symptom or manifestation
of hypochondrias affects the veteran's
social and industrial adaptability.  A
complete rationale for the opinion
expressed must be provided.

6.  Thereafter, the veteran's claim for
entitlement to a total disability
evaluation due to his service-connected
disabilities should be adjudicated by the
RO.

If the veteran's claim remains denied, the veteran and his
representative should be furnished an appropriate supplemental
statement of the case.  After they have had an adequate
opportunity to respond, the case should be returned to the Board
for further appellate review, if in order.  The purpose of this
REMAND is to obtain clarifying data.

          ______________________________
          JOHN E. ORMOND, JR.
          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).