BVA9500896 
DOCKET NO.  90-43 627     )       DATE
          )
          )

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

THE ISSUE

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

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: AMVETS

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

R. A. Caffery, Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran served on active duty from September 1952 to May
1982.  He died in March 1990.  This is on appeal from an April
1990 rating action by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Regional Office Seattle, Washington, which denied entitlement to
service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.  The
case was previously before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board)
in December 1991 and November 1993 when it was remanded for
further development.  The case is again before the Board for
further appellate review.

REMAND

As indicated in the November 1993 remand by the Board, the
appellant indicated in June 1992 that after the veteran's
retirement from service, he had immediately applied for work in a
Civil Service position.  She indicated that at that time he had a
physical examination and it had been determined that he had a
heart problem.

It was further noted that the regional office had later contacted
the United States Postal Service and had been provided a copy of
the veteran's official personnel folder reflecting personnel and
medical records pertaining to the veteran's employment as a
laundry worker at Fort Lewis, Washington, beginning in March 1984
but that there were no records pertaining to his employment with
the Postal Service.  The personnel records indicated that the
veteran had been employed by the Postal Service during December
1983 and February 1984 in Tacoma, Washington.

The Board requested that the regional office make another attempt
to obtain any personnel and medical records pertaining to the
veteran's employment with the United States Postal Service during
December 1983 and February 1984 in Tacoma, Washington, and any
records of examinations conducted in conjunction with earlier
applications for postal employment.

In January 1994 the regional office wrote to the United States
Postal Service headquarters and requested any medical records
pertaining to the veteran's Civil Service employment.  However,
no response was received.

The Board recognizes that the regional office has made extensive
efforts to obtain the full civil service medical records.
However, the absence of any response from the Postal Service
makes the record incomplete.

In addition, the Board notes that in a February 1992 statement,
the appellant reported that the veteran had received medical
treatment only at Madigan Army Medical Center and the American
Lake VA Medical Center.  However, the 1992 VA request to Madigan
Army Medical Center requested only the treatment records of the
veteran's terminal hospitalization and autopsy report.  There is
no indication that VA treatment records were requested.

On the basis of the foregoing matters and in order to afford the
appellant every consideration, the case is again REMANDED for the
following action:

1.  The regional office should again
contact the United States Postal Service
and ask that that agency provide copies of
any personnel and medical records
pertaining to the veteran's employment with
the United States Postal Service during the
period from December 1983 to February 1984
in Tacoma, Washington, and any records of
examinations conducted in conjunction with
earlier applications for postal employment.
Any such records obtained should be
included with the claims file.

2.  The regional office should take the
necessary steps to obtain copies of all
records of medical examination and
treatment of the veteran in his military
retired status at Madigan Army Medical
Center since May 1982, and copies of all
records of examination and treatment of the
veteran at VA medical facilities since May
1982.

3.  The appellant's claim should then be
reviewed by the regional office.  If the
denial is continued the appellant and her
representative should be sent a
supplemental statement of the case and be
afforded the appropriate time in which to
respond.

When the above action has been completed the case should be
returned to the Board for further appellate consideration, if
otherwise in order.  No action is required of the appellant
unless she receives further notice.

This REMAND is for the purpose of obtaining clarifying
information.  The Board intimates no opinion as to the
disposition warranted in this case pending completion of the
requested action.

          JAMES R. ANTHONY
          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) (1993).