BVA9505348 
DOCKET NO.  93-00 753     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Phoenix,
Arizona

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to special monthly pension benefits.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Neil Reiter, Counsel

REMAND

The veteran served on active duty from April 1966 to November
1968.

The veteran filed his claim for pension benefits, including
special monthly pension, in April 1992.  At that time a claim for
service connection for several disorders, claimed as due to Agent
Orange exposure, was pending.  In July 1992, a permanent and
total rating for pension purposes was granted because of
progressive polyneuropathy of all four extremities.  The grant
was based on treatment records for the period from November 1991
to March 1992.  Special monthly pension was denied.  His notice
of disagreement was received in August 1992.  The appeal was
certified to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) November
1992.  In December 1992 extensive additional medical information
was received by the Regional Office (RO).  There is no indication
that this evidence was considered by the RO before the appeal was
sent to the Board in January 1993.

In April 1994, the veteran reported that he is essentially
housebound, that he uses a wheelchair, and that he needs his wife
for aid and attendance purposes, to aid him in dressing, bathing,
and getting in and out of bed.  Before the Board could act on the
certified issue, the RO recalled the claims folder to consider
the service connection claims.  These claims were denied in
August 1994.  After the certified issue was returned to the Board
in October 1994, the veteran's representative noted that the
medical information received in December 1992 had not been
considered by the RO, and requested that the file be returned to
the RO for due process reasons.  The veteran has not received a
VA examination for rating purposes to determine the nature and
extent of his neurological disability.  In addition, he has not
received a special examination to determine whether he is
housebound or in need of the aid and attendance of another
person.  In view of the contentions on appeal, the Board believes
that the case should be remanded to the regional office to obtain
additional examinations of the veteran, and ensure full due
process.

Accordingly, the case is hereby REMANDED to the regional office
for the following actions:

1.  The regional office should obtain all
outpatient treatment reports relating to
the veteran's treatment for polyneuropathy
of the upper and lower extremities
beginning from January 1993.

2.  The regional office should make
arrangements for a special neurological
examination of the veteran to determine the
current disabling manifestations of his
polyneuropathy of the upper and lower
extremities.  The regional office should
also make arrangements for a special
examination of the veteran to determine
whether he is housebound or in need of the
aid and attendance of another person.  All
clinical tests which are deemed necessary
should be conducted.   The claims folder
should be made available to the examiners
prior to and during their examinations of
the veteran.

When the above actions have been completed, the case should be
further reviewed by the regional office.  If denial of the
veteran's claim is confirmed, the case should be processed in
accordance with appropriate appellate procedures, including a
supplemental statement of the case.  The supplemental statement
of the case should include the ratings assigned for all
disabilities, the appropriate codes, and the reasons and bases
for each assigned rating.  No action is required of the veteran
until he receives further notice.  The purpose of this REMAND is
to procure clarifying data and ensure full due process.  The
Board intimates no opinion, either legal or factual, as to the
ultimate determination warranted in this case.

          ROBERT D. PHILIPP
          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).