BVA9501006 
DOCKET NO.  93-21 460     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in St. Petersburg,
Florida

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to an increased rating for a back disorder, currently
rated 40 percent disabling.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL

Appellant

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

James J. Dunphy, Counsel
INTRODUCTION

At his personal hearing in St. Petersburg before James U.
Johnson, a Member of the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board), the
veteran raised the issue of entitlement to service connection for
urinary and bowel disorders secondary to treatment of the service
connected back disorder.  This issue is referred to the Regional
Office (RO) for further action.

REMAND

The veteran had active duty from June 1964 to February 1976.

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 RO for the following
development:

1.  The RO should obtain all records of
treatment afforded the veteran at the James
Haley VA Medical Center subsequent to
August 1992.

2.  The veteran should be afforded
appropriate VA examinations to determine
the current severity of the service-
connected back disorder and to determine
the relationship, if any, between any
urinary and bowel problems and the service-
connected back disorder.  The claims folder
should be made available to the examiners
for review before the examinations.

3.  The RO should then adjudicate the
issues of entitlement to service connection
on a secondary basis for urinary and bowel
problems and entitlement to an increased
rating for a low back disorder.

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.

          J. U. JOHNSON
          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).