BVA9500073 
DOCKET NO.  93-08 723     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Roanoke,
Virginia

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to an increased evaluation for renal calculi,
currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Virginia Department of Veterans
Affairs

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Joseph M. Horrigan, Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran retired in August 1990 after more than 30 years on
active duty.

This matter came before the Board of Veterans' Appeal (Board)
from a January 1992 rating action of the Department of Veterans
Affairs Regional Office (RO) in Roanoke, Virginia.  The case is
before the Board for appellate consideration at this time.

The issue of entitlement to service connection for a thumb
disorder was resolved in favor of the veteran.  The decision of
the RO to certify the issue, after the rating board had granted
service connection, was in error.

REMAND

A review of the record reveals that the veteran receives
treatment for his kidney disorder at an Air Force medical
facility but no clinical records reflecting this treatment are in
the claims folder.  In addition, while he received a VA physical
examination in August 1992, it does not appear that his clinical
records were available for review at that time.  Moreover, he was
not given a kidney X-ray to determine the extent of renal
calculus affecting the kidney.  In addition, the report did not
adequately detail the presence or absence of pertinent findings.

In view of the foregoing, and given the duty to assist the
veteran in the development of his claim under 38 U.S.C.A. 5107(a)
(West 1991), this case is REMANDED to the RO for the following
action:

1.  The veteran should be requested to
provide the names , addresses, and
approximate dates of treatment from all VA
and non-VA health care providers who have
provided him treatment for renal calculi
at any time since his discharge from
service.  When the veteran responds, the
RO should obtain copies of all clinical
records documenting the veterans treatment
for renal calculi which are not already of
record.  These should include all clinical
records documenting treatment at the
medical facility at Mc Gill Air Force
Base.

2.  Thereafter, the veteran should be
given a VA genitourinary examination to
determine the current degree of severity
of his service connected kidney disorder.
All necessary special studies should be
performed and all pertinent clinical
findings reported in detail.  The claims
folder must be made available to the
examining physician prior to the
examination so the pertinent clinical
record may be studied in detail.  The
examiner is to be provided a copy of the
past and current rating criteria.  The
examination report must include all
positive and negative findings and
correspond to the rating criteria.

3.  The regional office must ensure that
the examination report is adequate for
appellate purposes.

4.  The regional office must readjudicate
the issue in light of the changed rating
criteria.

When the above development has been completed, the RO should
review the veteran's claim.  If the benefits sought on appeal
remain denied, the veteran and his representative should be
furnished with a supplemental statement of the case and afforded
a reasonable opportunity to respond.  Thereafter, the case should
be returned to this Board, if otherwise in order.

No action is required of the veteran until he is so informed by
the RO.  The purpose of this REMAND is to obtain additional
clinical records.  By this REMAND, the Board intimates no opinion
as to the appropriate outcome warranted in this case.

          H. N. SCHWARTZ
          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 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).