BVA9506351 
DOCKET NO.  93-10 078     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Chicago,
Illinois

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to service connection for the cause of the veteran's
death.

REPRESENTATION

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

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

J.W. Engle, Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran served on active duty from May 1942 to October 1945.
He was a prisoner of war of the German Government from December
20, 1944 to April 6, 1945.

This matter came before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (the
Board) on appeal from a decision dated in June 1992 by the
Chicago, Illinois, Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office
(VARO).

REMAND

Review of the record reveals that the appellant has contended
that the veteran's death was the result of his service-connected
disabilities.  At the time of his death, the appellant was
service-connected for traumatic arthritis of the knees, hands,
dorsal and lumbar spine as well as frostbite of the feet and
generalized anxiety.  The death certificate reflects that the
veteran died in May 1992 and that the immediate cause of death
was myocardial infarction due to ventricular arrhythmia as a
consequence of coronary artery disease.  It was further noted
that other significant conditions contributing to the veteran's
death included cerebrovascular disease.  In support of her claim,
the appellant submitted a statement from Dr. Kmicikewycz,
apparently the appellant's treating physician, dated in December
1992 which implied that the veteran's death was the result of
service related medical problems.  However, he provided no
clinical evidence to support his conclusion of a relationship
between the myocardial infarction, ventricular arrhythmia and
coronary artery disease, as the cause of the veteran's death and
his period of service or his service-connected disabilities.

Accordingly, the Board believes that the appellant should be
provided an opportunity to request that Dr. Kmicikewycz provide
the objective medical evidence upon which he based his
conclusion.  Furthermore, in light of the need for additional
development, the Board concludes that an opinion from a VA
physician as to the cause of the veteran's death and its
relationship to his service or service-connected disabilities
would be helpful.

Therefore, this case is REMANDED for the following action:

1.  VARO should contact the appellant,
through her representative, and request
that she contact Dr. Kmicikewycz in an
effort to obtain clinical evidence
consisting of treatment reports or other
objective evidence upon which he based his
opinion as to a relationship between the
cause of the veteran's death and his
service or service-connected disabilities.
All attempts to obtain the above evidence
should be documented within the record.
All records received in response to these
requests should be associated with the
claims folder.

2.  Upon completion of the above,
arrangements should be made to have a VA
physician who specializes in cardiology
review the entire claims folder and provide
an opinion as to the principal or
contributory relationship, if any, between
the veteran's service-connected
disabilities and his death certified to be
the result of myocardial infarction due to
ventricular arrhythmia as a consequence of
acute respiratory failure.  The examiner
should further comment on the relationship,
if any, between the certified cause of
death and the appellant's period of
service.

3.  The VA physician's attention is
directed to the VA Prisoner of War Protocol
examination report dated in June 1984 which
reflects that the appellant's blood
pressure was 120/80 at the time of service
separation and that the cardiovascular
findings were normal.  Further findings
noted that the first evidence of
hypertension was in February 1982.
Attention is also directed to the statement
from Dr. Kmicikewycz dated in December
1992.

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

          C.P. RUSSELL
          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).