BVA9500586 DOCKET NO. 93-06 596 ) DATE ) ) On appeal from a decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Montgomery, Alabama THE ISSUES 1. Entitlement to an increased evaluation for the service- connected psychiatric disorder, currently evaluated as 30 percent disabling. 2. Entitlement to a temporary total rating pursuant to 38 C.F.R. § 4.29 (1993) for a period of hospitalization from October 19 to November 18, 1992. REPRESENTATION Appellant represented by: Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD E. A. Artman, Associate Counsel INTRODUCTION The veteran had verified active service from October 1986 to November 1988. He had total prior active service of 15 years, 7 months and 20 days. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on appeal from a December 1991 rating decision of the Montgomery, Alabama, Regional Office (RO). REMAND The veteran was granted service connection for a generalized anxiety disorder by a May 1989 rating action, after a diagnosis of such was provided by a VA examiner in January 1989. Since the grant of service connection, the veteran has again been diagnosed as having a generalized anxiety disorder (by a VA examiner in October 1990), but also as having schizophrenia and a mixed bipolar disorder. The most recent treatment record, a VA hospitalization report covering the period of October 19, 1992 to November 18, 1992, contains the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. In addition, it shows a diagnosis of alcohol abuse, for which the veteran received treatment while in service. See DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (received by RO in November 1988). Given these circumstances, the current nature and severity of the veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder cannot be ascertained . Furthermore, the evidence of record fails to distinguish whether the veteran's alcohol dependency is secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disorder. Without medical evidence which clarifies these considerations, no determination of the veteran's claims can be reached by the Board. Thus, this case is REMANDED, so that the following developmentary steps may occur: 1. The RO should take appropriate steps to obtain copies of any private or VA treatment records pertaining to the veteran's psychiatric/dependency problems since November 1992. Copies received should be associated with the veteran's claims file. 2. Upon completion of step (1), the RO should arrange for a social and industrial survey of the veteran to be performed. This survey should be conducted with a view toward determining the degree of social and industrial impairment of the veteran which is solely attributable to his psychiatric/dependency problems. Information obtained by the surveyor should be in accordance with considerations set forth in Section 1.14 of the VA's Physician's Guide for Disability Evaluation Examinations (IB 11-56, Mar. 1, 1956). In particular, it is requested that the reported findings include a complete employment history of the veteran since his discharge from the service in November 1988. It is asked that all findings, opinions and bases be set forth in detail. 3. Upon completion of step (2), and only then, the veteran should be afforded a VA examination by a psychiatrist to determine the nature and current extent of any identified psychopathology. To this end, the veteran's claims file should be made available for review prior to the examination. In addition, the examiner should specifically state whether, in his/her opinion, the veteran's alcohol abuse is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected disorder. The examiner should report a full multiaxial diagnosis, including a score on the scale of Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). This assignment shall reflect due consideration of the results of the veteran's social and industrial survey. All findings, bases and conclusions supporting the examiner's opinions should be set forth in sufficient detail. 4. Based on the evidence obtained pursuant to the development sought above, the RO should take all indicated adjudicatory action. Such action should include consideration of service connection for any indicated psychiatric disease and for alcohol abuse as secondary to the veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder where an adequate evidentiary basis is presented. If all of the benefits sought by the veteran on appeal are not granted, a supplemental statement of the case should be issued. After the veteran and his representative have been given an opportunity to respond to the supplemental statement of the case, the claims file should be returned to this Board for further appellate review, if deemed necessary. No action is required by the veteran until he receives further notice. The purpose of this REMAND is to procure clarifying data and to comply with governing adjudicative procedures. The Board intimates no opinion, either legal or factual, as to the disposition of this appeal. STEPHEN L. WILKINS 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).