BVA9507249 
DOCKET NO.  92-08 703     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Seattle,
Washington

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric
disorder, to include post-traumatic stress disorder.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Veterans of Foreign Wars of the
United States

WITNESSES AT HEARING ON APPEAL

Appellant and his wife

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

D. B. Weiss, Associate Counsel

REMAND

The veteran had active duty from August 1970 to August 1973.

This case was previously before the Board in March 1993, at which
time it was remanded for additional development, including
examination of the veteran to determine if he had post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD).  Records obtained included a report of
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitalization in June 1991,
which resulted in diagnoses of alcohol abuse, homicidal ideations
resolved, and possible PTSD.  On the VA examination in October
1993, the examiner noted that outpatient clinicians had reported
PTSD and that "experts in the Social Security system" had
rendered a diagnosis of PTSD.  The VA examiner did not feel that
the evidence supported such diagnosis.  He further noted that he
could not tie the veteran's experiences he had in Vietnam to his
current symptoms.  However, he suggested that a second opinion
could be obtained.

The representative argued in August 1994 that appellate
development was inadequate as no effort had been made to obtain
the records pertinent to the veteran's Social Security disability
benefits.  In addition, the representative requested an
additional examination to confirm or rule out the presence of
PTSD.

To ensure that the 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 obtain the names and
addresses of all medical care providers who
treated the veteran for PTSD since July
1993.  After securing the necessary
release, the RO should attempt to obtain
these records.

2.  The RO should obtain from the Social
Security Administration the records
pertinent to the appellant's claim for
Social Security disability benefits, as
well as the medical records relied upon
concerning that claim.

3.  After the above records have been
secured to the extent possible, the RO
should schedule the veteran for a special
VA psychiatric examination by an examiner
who has not previously examined the
veteran, if possible, to determine the
nature of all of the veteran's
neuropsychiatric disorders, to include
PTSD.  The examiner should comment upon the
etiological relationship, if any, between
any multiple diagnoses rendered.  The
examiner should conduct the examination in
accordance with the American Psychiatric
Association:  Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorder.  The examiner
should consider the criteria for PTSD; if a
diagnosis of PTSD is appropriate, the
examiner should specify the credible
"stressors" that caused the disorder.  The
claims folder must be provided to the
examiner for review prior to the
examination, and the examiner should, after
reviewing same, attempt to reconcile the
medical evidence of record when proffering
the requested opinion.  If the examiner is
unable to answer any question posed herein,
then this should be stated expressly.  Any
indicated consultations or diagnostic tests
should be performed.

4.  After the development requested above
has been completed to the extent possible,
the RO should again review the record.  If
any benefit sought on appeal, for which a
notice of disagreement has been filed,
remains denied, the appellant and
representative should be furnished a
supplemental statement of the case and
given the opportunity to respond thereto.

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

          V. L. JORDAN
          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).