BVA9504658 
DOCKET NO.  93-13 997     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Jackson,
Mississippi

THE ISSUE

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

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Mississippi Veterans Affairs
Board

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Mark J. Swiatek, Counsel

REMAND

The veteran had active duty from February 1974 to July 1975.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board)
from a March 1993 decision from the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Jackson, Mississippi.

A review of the record discloses that the veteran has not had a
comprehensive medical examination in connection to this claim to
allow for an accurate assessment of the extent of his
disabilities.  This precludes an informed decision from being
made at this time.  The Board observes that the veteran is in
receipt of Social Security Administration benefits.  The record,
however, does not include relevant records from that agency.

In order to ensure that the VA has met its duty to assist the
appellant with regard to developing the facts pertinent to a
claim, and ensure due process, it is the opinion of the Board
that further development as set forth below is desirable.
Accordingly, the case is REMANDED to the RO for the following
action:

1.  The RO should request the veteran to
provide the names and addresses of all
health care providers who have treated him
since November 1992 for any disability,
including record from the Life Help clinic
at Greenwood, Mississippi, where the
veteran was being followed.  The RO should
attempt to obtain copies of those treatment
records identified by the veteran which
have not been previously secured.

2.  The RO should request from the Social
Security Administration whether any
benefits the veteran receives are based on
disability.  If so, the records pertinent
to the appellant's claim for such benefits
as well as the medical records relied upon
concerning that claim should be requested.

3.  Following completion of the above
development, the veteran should be afforded
a VA general medical examination, a
psychiatric examination, and any additional
examinations by specialists deemed
warranted, to determine the nature and
extent of all disabilities present.  The
psychiatric examination report should
include a comprehensive employment history.
The claims folder should be made available
to the examiners prior to examination.  All
indicated tests should be accomplished.
The medical examiner should provide an
assessment of the industrial impairment
from any diagnosed conditions.  The
psychiatric examiner should provide a
Global Assessment of Functioning score and
a narrative explanation of its
significance.

4.  When the above development has been
completed, the case should again be
reviewed by the RO and the rating action
prepared which lists all of the veteran's
disabilities and the percentage evaluation
assigned for each disability.  If the
decision remains adverse to the veteran, he
and his representative should be furnished
with a supplemental statement of the case
which includes a recitation of the
percentage rating for each diagnosed
disability; which cites the appropriate
diagnostic codes and provides a discussion
of their applicability to the veteran's
disabilities; and which discuss the
application of the two standards (average
person and unemployability) by which a
permanent and total disability rating for
pension purposes may be assigned.  They
should then be afforded the applicable time
to respond.

Thereafter, subject to current appellate procedures, the case
should be returned to the Board for further appellate
consideration, if appropriate.  The veteran need take no action
until he is further informed.  The purpose of this REMAND is to
obtain

additional information and assure due process of law.  No
inference should be drawn regarding the final disposition of the
claim as a result of this action.

          CHARLES E. HOGEBOOM
          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 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 Improvement 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).