BVA9503108 
DOCKET NO.  92-18 188     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in St. Paul,
Minnesota

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to an increased rating for chronic
undifferentiated-type schizophrenia, currently evaluated as 10
percent disabling.

2.  Entitlement to a permanent and total disability rating for
pension purposes.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: AMVETS

WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL

Appellant

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

P. A. Dowdell, Associate Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran served on active duty from September 1969 to May
1970.

This matter came before the Board of Veterans' Appeals
(hereinafter the Board) on appeal from a May 1991 rating decision
from the St. Paul, Minnesota, Regional Office (RO), which denied
entitlement to a permanent and total disability rating for
pension purposes.  This appeal also arises from a January 1992
rating action which confirmed a 10 percent evaluation for chronic
undifferentiated-type schizophrenia.

In April 1994, the Board of Veterans' Appeals remanded the case
to the RO for further development of the medical evidence.

REMAND

The veteran contends, in essence, that the RO committed error
when it denied him a total disability rating for pension
purposes.  He specifically alleges that he is no longer able to
work, and that he is totally disabled due to various physical and
mental conditions.

We are of the opinion that additional development should be
accomplished prior to further appellate review of this case.  In
reviewing the documents of record, we observe that although VA
examinations were performed in December 1991, the examinations
were not adequate to evaluate the veteran's nonservice-connected
residuals of right eye injury, including loss of visual acuity in
the right eye, postoperative residuals of bilateral carpal tunnel
syndrome, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, to
include muscle ligament strain, and ligament strain of the
thoracic spine.
To ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs (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 regional office (RO)
for the following development:

1.  The RO should request the veteran
undergo a comprehensive VA medical
examination to determine the nature and
extent, of any and all disabilities that
might be currently manifested.  All tests
indicated, to include range of motion,
neurological, and radiological studies, are
to be conducted at this time.  The examiner
should set forth all findings, along with
the reasons and bases therefor, in a clear,
comprehensive, and legible manner on the
examination report.  The claims folder is
to be made available to the examiner prior
to examination.

2.  The RO should schedule a social and
industrial survey to determine the
veteran's employability.

3.  The RO must identify and rate all of
the veteran's current disabilities.
Thereafter, it must determine
the combined evaluations for all those
disabilities, appropriately grouped as
either service-connected or nonservice-
connected.

4.  Thereafter, the RO should again review
the veteran's claim for a permanent and
total disability rating for pension
purposes, utilizing both the "average
person" test set forth at 38 U.S.C.A.
§ 1502(a)(1) (West 1991) and 38 C.F.R.
§ 4.15 (1993) and "unemployability" test
set forth at 38 C.F.R. § 4.17 (1993).  If
such a rating cannot be granted under
either test, the RO should consider
granting this rating pursuant to the
provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 3.321(b)(2)
(1993).

5.  If any decision still remains adverse
to the veteran,
he and his representative should be
provided a supple-mental statement of the
case, with a reasonable period of time
within which to respond thereto.  A
supplemental statement of the case should
set forth all of the pertinent laws and
regulations that were not presented in the
previous statement of the case, to include
those cited above and the various
diagnostic standards by which the severity
of the veteran's disabilities were
ascertained.

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

Appellate consideration of the issue of entitlement to an
increased rating for chronic undifferentiated-type schizophrenia
is deferred pending completion of the actions requested in this
decision.

          LAWRENCE M. SULLIVAN
          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).