BVA9505204 
DOCKET NO.  93-13 013     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Columbia, South
Carolina

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to a permanent and total disability rating for
pension purposes.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL

Appellant

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Mark J. Swiatek, Counsel

REMAND

The veteran had active duty from October 1968 to September 1970.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board)
from a July 1991 decision from the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) Regional Office (RO) in Columbia, South Carolina.

The representative has requested that the case be returned to the
RO in order to allow for an evaluation of disabilities reported,
but not examined, on the August and September 1992 medical
evaluations.  A review of these examinations discloses that the
veteran was not afforded an examination of the spine, though he
reported back complaints.  At the August 1992 hearing, he also
reported hip and psychiatric symptoms that were not assessed on
the comprehensive examination.  The Board observes that the
general medical examiner reported diminished breath sounds for
which no etiology was identified.  This precludes an informed
decision from being made at this time.  The Board observes that
in a communication received in June 1992, the veteran reported
having submitted an application for Social Security
Administration (SSA) benefits.  At the hearing, he reported on
the status of the application.  The record, however, does not
include relevant records from that agency relating to the outcome
of the claim.

In order to ensure that the VA has met its duty to assist the
appellant with regard to developing the facts pertinent to a
claim, and ensure due process, it is the opinion of the Board
that further development as set forth below is desirable.
Accordingly, the case is REMANDED to the RO for the following
action:

1.  The RO should request the veteran to
provide the names and addresses of all
health care providers who have treated him
since 1990 for any disability.  The RO
should attempt to obtain copies of those
treatment records identified by the veteran
which have not been previously secured.

2.  The RO should request from SSA whether
the veteran receives any benefits based on
disability.  If so, the records pertinent
to the appellant's claim for such benefits
as well as the medical records relied upon
concerning that claim should be requested.

3.  Following completion of the above
development, the veteran should be afforded
a VA general medical examination, a
psychiatric examination, and any additional
examinations by specialists deemed
warranted, to determine the nature and
extent of all disabilities present.  The
psychiatric examination report should
include a comprehensive employment history.
The claims folder should be made available
to the examiners prior to examination.  All
indicated tests should be accomplished.
The medical examiner should provide an
assessment of the industrial impairment
from any diagnosed conditions.  The
psychiatric examiner should provide a
Global Assessment of Functioning score and
a narrative explanation of its
significance.

4.  When the above development has been
completed, the case should again be
reviewed by the RO and the rating action
prepared which lists all of the veteran's
disabilities and the percentage evaluation
assigned for each disability.  If the
decision remains adverse to the veteran, he
and his representative should be furnished
with a supplemental statement of the case
which includes a recitation of the
percentage rating for each diagnosed
disability; which cites the appropriate
diagnostic codes and provides a discussion
of their applicability to the veteran's
disabilities; and which discuss the
application of the two standards (average
person and unemployability) by which a
permanent and total disability rating for
pension purposes may be assigned.  They
should then be afforded the applicable time
to respond.

Thereafter, subject to current appellate procedures, the case
should be returned to the Board for further appellate
consideration, if appropriate.  The veteran need take no action
until he is further informed.  The purpose of this REMAND is to
obtain additional information and assure due process of law.  No
inference should be drawn regarding the final disposition of the
claim as a result of this action.

          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 deter-
mination.  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 Improvement 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).