BVA9501587 
DOCKET NO.  93-13 706     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Nashville,
Tennessee

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for a left knee disorder.

2.  Entitlement to service connection for a hip disorder.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Tennessee Department of
Veterans' Affairs

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

T. S. Kelly, Associate Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active military service from September 1983 to
October 1992.

REMAND

A review of the file demonstrates that the veteran, in her
substantive appeal, indicated that she had been receiving
treatment for her knees at the Memphis Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) Hospital subsequent to her separation from service.
It does not appear that attempts have been made to obtain these
records.

The United States Court of Veterans Appeals has held that the
duty to assist an appellant in obtaining and developing available
facts and evidence to support her claim includes obtaining
medical records from any source.  Littke v. Derwinski,
1 Vet.App. 90 (1991).

We are also of the opinion that performing an additional VA
orthopedic examination of the veteran's left knee in order to
determine the nature and severity of any chronic left knee
disorder would be helpful in reaching a decision in this matter.

To ensure that the VA has met its duty to assist the claimant in
developing the facts pertinent to the claim, the case is REMANDED
to the regional office (RO) for the following development:

1.  The RO should obtain the names and addresses
of all medical care providers who have treated
the veteran since service for any left knee
disorder.  After securing the necessary release,
the RO should obtain copies of those records.

2.  The RO should also obtain copies of all
treatment records of the Memphis VA Hospital
from October 1992 to the present.

3.  Thereafter, the RO should schedule the
veteran for a special VA orthopedic examination,
by an examiner who has not previously examined
the veteran, if possible, to determine the
current nature and severity of any left knee
disorder.  The examiner is specifically
requested to identify any chronic disorder of
the left knee.  All indicated studies, including
x-rays, should be done and all findings,
including those referable to functional
impairment, range of motion in degrees, and pain
should be reported in detail.  The claims folder
must be made available to the examiner prior to
the examination. If a chronic left knee disorder
is found to be present, the examiner is
requested to render an opinion as to whether it
is congenital or acquired.  If the examiner
determines that the disorder is congenital,
he/she should express an opinion as to whether
it is a disease or defect.  The examiner should
report his/her findings in detail and explain
the rationale behind his/her opinion.

After the completion of the above requested development, the RO
should review the appellant's claim.  If the benefits sought on
appeal remain denied, a supplemental statement of the case should
be given to the veteran and her representative.  They should be
afforded a reasonable period of time to respond.  Thereafter, the
case should be returned to the Board for further appellate
consideration.  By this remand, the Board intimates no opinion as
to the ultimate outcome of this case.

          JOHN E. ORMOND
          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).