BVA9500889 
DOCKET NO.  93-10 339     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Muskogee,
Oklahoma

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to a total disability evaluation on the basis of
individual unemployability.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

REMAND

The veteran served on active duty from August 1963 to August
1965.

The veteran is service connected, in pertinent part, for
psoriasis with pruritus and anxiety, currently evaluated as 50
percent disabling.  Unfortunately, while the veteran was afforded
a VA examination to determine the nature and extent of this
disability, the claims file was not made available for review or
consideration by the examining psychiatrist.  As the examination
of a disability must "be viewed in relation to its history," 38
C.F.R. § 4.1 (1994), the failure to provide the examiner with an
opportunity to review the veteran’s claims file was a violation
of due process.

A review of the claims file further reveals that the veteran
applied for Social Security disability benefits in August 1988.
The claims file, however, does not reveal whether benefits were
actually awarded.  As the veteran’s receipt of such benefits may
be a relevant fact in favor of his claim, see generally,
Murincsak v. Derwinski, 2 Vet.App. 363, 371 (1992), further
development is warranted.

Finally, to ensure that all pertinent factors concerning the
veteran’s current occupational status are available for
adjudicative purposes, we believe that a social and industrial
examination is in order.

Therefore, this case is REMANDED to the Regional Office (RO) for
the following action:

1.  A social and industrial survey should
be conducted by VA.  Family members, former
coworkers, members of the community and the
veteran should be interviewed.  The
individual conducting the survey should
express an opinion with complete rationale
as to the impact of psoriasis with pruritus
and anxiety, and multiple joint psoriatic
arthritis on the veteran's ability to
secure or follow a substantially gainful
occupation.  A written copy of the report
should be inserted into the claims folder.

2.  After adding the social and industrial
report to the veteran’s claims folder, he
should be afforded VA orthopedic,
dermatology and psychiatric examinations to
determine the nature and extent of his
service connected psoriasis with pruritus
and anxiety, and psoriatic arthritis of the
hands, elbows, knees and feet.  The claims
folder must be made available to and
reviewed by each examiner prior to the
requested study.  All studies are to be
accomplished in accordance with the VA
Physician’s Guide for Disability Evaluation
Examinations, and each examiner must offer
an opinion as to how the respective
disabilities present a functional and an
industrial impairment.  The examining
dermatologist is requested to have color
photographs taken of the affected areas,
and the examining orthopedist is requested
to record the range of motion of any joint
afflicted by psoriatic arthritis.

3.  The RO should obtain from the Social
Security Administration the records
pertinent to the appellant's claim for
Social Security disability benefits as well
as the medical records relied upon
concerning that claim.

Thereafter, the RO should review the veteran’s file to ensure
that all of the foregoing actions have been completed.  Then, and
only then, should the RO readjudicate the veteran’s claim.  If
the benefit sought on appeal continues to be denied an
appropriate supplemental statement of the case should be issued,
and the veteran and his representative afforded a reasonable
period of time within which to respond.  The case should then be
returned to the Board, if in otherwise order.  The Board
intimates no opinion as to the ultimate outcome of this case.
The appellant need take no action until he is notified by the RO.

          DEREK R. BROWN
          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) (1994).