BVA9505979 
DOCKET NO.  93-13 423     )       DATE
          )
          )

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

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric
disorder, to include post-traumatic stress disorder.

2.  Entitlement to a compensable evaluation for service-connected
disabilities under 38 C.F.R. § 3.324 (1994).

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: The American Legion

WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL

Appellant

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

L. Jennifer Lane, Associate Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active service from November 1942 to December
1945.

An unappealed  rating decision dated in August 1979 denied
service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.  In
September 1991, the veteran filed a claim for service connection
for post-traumatic stress disorder.  The current appeal arises
from a February 1992 rating decision in which the Regional Office
(RO) essentially reopened the veteran's claim for entitlement to
service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to
include post-traumatic stress disorder, and denied a compensable
evaluation for the veteran's service-connected disabilities under
the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 3.324.  The veteran filed a notice
of disagreement in June 1992.

REMAND

Review of the record discloses that the veteran has reported
having received treatment for an acquired psychiatric disorder
from private physicians and at Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) medical facilities in the past.  In VA Forms 21-4138
(Statement In Support Of Claim) dated in August 1979 and November
1991, the veteran reported he received treatment at the VA
medical facilities in Lake City, Florida in 1949 and 1951,
Dublin, Georgia in 1952 and 1953 and Tampa, Florida since 1973.
In the November 1991 VA Form 21-4138, the veteran related that he
was treated by a psychiatrist on Davis Island, Tampa, Florida in
1981.  However, he did not provide the physician's name or
complete address.  Also, in a VA Form 21-4138 dated in May 1988,
the veteran indicated that he had recently received treatment at
the VA medical facility in Tampa, Florida for his service-
connected residuals of a hernia.

The veteran also submitted VA Forms 21-4142 (Authorization For
Release Of Information) in association with his claim for
entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric
disorder in August 1979.  However, it does not appear that the RO
attempted to obtain records from the physicians whom the veteran
reported having received treatment.

To ensure that VA has met its duty to assist the veteran in
developing the facts pertinent to his case, the case is REMANDED
to the RO for the following development:

1.  The RO should obtain the complete names
and addresses of all medical care providers
who treated the veteran for psychiatric
complaints since service.  After securing
the necessary release, the RO should
request copies of these records as well as
copies of all records pertaining to
treatment of the veteran from Donald
Foster, M.D., dated in 1965, at 8407
Florida Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33604, and
John E. Perchelski, M.D., at 10320 N. 56th
Street, Tampa, Florida 33617.

2.  The RO should also request copies of
all treatment records pertaining to the
veteran from the VA Medical Center (VAMC)
in Dublin, Georgia, dated in 1952 and 1953;
and from the VAMC in Lake City, Florida,
dated in 1949 and 1951; and from the VAMC
and VA Outpatient Clinic in Tampa, Florida,
dated since 1973, not already of record.

3.  If any of the records obtained in
response to the above action show recent
treatment for the veteran's service-
connected disabilities, the RO should
schedule the veteran for a VA examination
in accordance with the VA Physician's Guide
for Disability Evaluation Examinations.
The purpose of this examination is to
ascertain the nature and severity of the
veteran's service-connected disabilities.
Additionally, the examiner must be allowed
the opportunity to review the veteran's
claims file prior to the examination.

4.  Following completion of the above
development, the RO should consider the
veteran's case in light of all the
evidence.  If the RO continues to deny the
veteran's claims, he and his representative
should be furnished a supplemental
statement of the case and afforded a
reasonable opportunity to respond.

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 veteran need take no action unless otherwise
notified.

          U. R. POWELL
          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).