BVA9508275 
DOCKET NO.  93-18 279     )       DATE
          )
          )

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

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to an increased evaluation for generalized
anxiety disorder, currently rated at 70 percent.

2.  Entitlement to a total evaluation based upon individual
unemployability due to service-connected disability.

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

C. M. Flatley, Counsel

REMAND

The veteran had active service from December 1942 to September
1944.  This case comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals
(Board) on appeal from a March 1992 rating decision of the New
York Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regional office (RO).
The veteran's claims folder was subsequently transferred to the
St. Petersburg, Florida, RO; the statement of the case was issued
and the veteran's appeal was certified from that office.

The record reflects that the veteran moved from New York to
Florida in the course of the development of his claim.  In
response to a May 1992 inquiry from the New York RO, the U.S.
Postal Service reported that the veteran had moved and left no
forwarding address.  The veteran's July 1992 substantive appeal
records a New York address.  A computer-generated entry dated in
September 1992 reflects that the veteran's psychiatric
examination had been scheduled in the "incorrect jurisdiction"
and was canceled.  The veteran's records were transferred from
New York to Florida in November 1992.

The RO based its determination upon a November 1991 letter from
the veteran's private physician in New York, who indicated that
the veteran had also received treatment at St. Alban's VA Clinic;
there is no indication whether the veteran continues to receive
psychiatric treatment.  In addition, although the veteran's only
service-connected disability is his generalized anxiety disorder,
rated at 70 percent, adjudication of the veteran's case did not
include consideration of the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(c)
(1994).

Under the circumstances, the Board is of the opinion that in
order to fully assist the veteran, further development is
warranted.  This case is therefore REMANDED for the following:

1.  After any necessary information and
authorization are obtained from the
veteran, copies of any post-1991 treatment
reports, VA or private, inpatient or
outpatient, associated with his generalized
anxiety disorder, should be obtained by the
RO and incorporated into the claims folder.
In this regard, attention is directed to
the veteran's most recently noted address
on VA Form 9, received in August 1993.

2.  A VA psychiatric examination should be
arranged to determine the extent and
severity of the veteran's service-connected
generalized anxiety disorder.  The
examination should be conducted in
accordance with the pertinent provisions of
the VA's Physician's Guide for Disability
Evaluation Examinations.  The examination
report should include a a social and
industrial history.  The examiner should
identify the level of functional impairment
associated with the veteran's service-
connected generalized anxiety disorder and
should assign a Global Assessment of
Functioning score.  The examiner should
explain the meaning of the numerical score
assigned and should provide an assessment
of the extent to which the veteran's
generalized anxiety disorder interferes
with his initiative, flexibility,
efficiency and reliability levels.  The
rationale for the conclusions reached
should be reported.  The veteran's claims
folder should be made available to the
examiner for review prior to the
examination.

4.  The RO should then review the veteran's
claim.  All pertinent law, regulations, and
United States Court of Veterans Appeals
(Court) decisions should be considered,
including 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.321(b)(1), 4.7,
4.16(c), 4.129, and 4.130 (1994).  The
veteran should be provided with a
supplemental statement of the case, which
includes all pertinent law and regulations
and a full discussion of action taken on
the veteran's claim.  The applicable
response time should be allowed.

The case should then be returned to the Board, if in order, after
compliance with customary appellate procedures.  No action is
required of the veteran until he is so informed.  The Board
intimates no opinion as to the ultimate decision warranted in
this case, pending completion of the requested development.

          CHARLES E. HOGEBOOM
          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. 133-446, § 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) (1994).