BVA9500962 
DOCKET NO.  93-08 266     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in North Little
Rock, Arkansas

THE ISSUE

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

REPRESENTATION

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

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

B. Anderson, Counsel

REMAND

The veteran had active service from January 1968 to May 1968.
This appeal arises from a September 1991 rating decision of the
North Little Rock, Arkansas, regional office (RO).

A review of the claims file indicates that the veteran's
employment history is not clear.  It also appears that the Social
Security Administration has awarded the veteran benefits.  Records
from that agency have not been obtained.

VA has a duty to assist the appellant in the development of facts
pertinent to his claim.  38 U.S.C.A. § 5107 (West 1991); 38 C.F.R.
§ 3.103(a) (1993).  Under the circumstances, we are of the opinion
that additional assistance is required.  Accordingly, the case is
REMANDED to the RO for the following:

1.  The RO should request copies of all of
the veteran's treatment records compiled
after his release from the VA Medical
Center, North Little Rock, Arkansas, in
July 1992.  All documents obtained should
be associated with the veteran's claims
file.

2.  The RO should obtain from the Social
Security Administration a copy of any
disability determination it has made for
the veteran and copies of the medical
records upon which any such determination
was made.

3.  A VA social and industrial survey
should be conducted in order to clarify the
veteran's medical, social, educational, and
employment history.  The social worker
should elicit and set forth pertinent facts
regarding the veteran's medical history,
education, employment history, social
adjustment, and current behavior and
health.  The social worker should offer an
assessment of the veteran's current
functioning and identify the conditions
which limit his employment opportunities.
Any potential employment opportunities
should be identified.  The claims folders
must be made available to the social worker
in conjunction with the survey as it con-
tains important historical data.

4.  After completion of the above, the
originating agency should again adjudicate
the veteran's claim for a permanent and
total disability rating for pension
purposes on the basis of all the evidence
of record.  The rating decision should
reflect consideration of the "average
person" standard under 38 U.S.C.A.
§ 1502(a)(1) (West 1991) as well as the
"unemployability" standard under 38 C.F.R.
§§ 3.321, 3.340, 3.342, 4.17 (1993).

5.  If the determination made is
unfavorable to the veteran, a supplemental
statement of the case that sets forth the
evidence received since the February 1993
supplemental statement of the case, and a
discussion of the "average person" and
"unemployability" standards should be
provided to the veteran and his
representative.

The veteran and his representative should be given an opportunity
to respond to the supplemental statement of the case.  Thereafter,
the case should be returned to the Board for further appellate
consideration, if otherwise in order.

_____________________________
          GARY L. GICK
Member, Board of Veterans' Appeals

(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE)

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 Improvements 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).