BVA9502703 
DOCKET NO.  93-12 854     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania

THE ISSUE

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

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Mark J. Swiatek, Counsel

REMAND

The veteran had active duty from February 1950 to September 1953.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board)
from a December 1991 decision of the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

A review of the record reflects that the December 1991 rating
decision was made without benefit of a thorough, contemporaneous
VA examination.  The record consists essentially of private
medical reports that mention disorders in addition to those
rated.  Although alcoholism is mentioned, the record does not
include an assessment of any disability related to that disorder.
The Board finds that an informed decision cannot be made on the
basis of the current record.

The VA's duty to assist a claimant in the development of facts
pertinent to a claim has been held to require obtaining
contemporaneous medical examinations and relevant records to
ensure that a decision is an informed one.  In view of the fore-
going, it is the opinion of the Board that further development,
as indicated below, is desirable.  Accordingly, the case is
REMANDED to the RO for the following action:

1.  The RO should contact the veteran and
request that he provide the names,
addresses and approximate dates of
treatment from all VA and non-VA health
care providers who have treated him
recently for his cardiovascular disease, or
any other disability.  With any necessary
authorization, the RO should attempt to
obtain copies of those treatment records
identified by the veteran which have not
been previously secured.

2.  At the same time, the veteran should be
asked to provide additional information
regarding attempts he has made to obtain
employment since 1991.  The RO should
obtain statements from these perspective
employers regarding the veteran's
application for employment.

3. Following completion of the above
development, the veteran should be afforded
a VA general medical examination and any
specialist evaluations pertinent to the
claim to determine the nature and extent of
all disabilities present, to include any
impairment related to  alcoholism .  All
indicated tests should be accomplished, and
it is imperative that the physicians review
the entire claims folder prior to the
examinations.  All disabilities should be
evaluated in relation to their history,
with emphasis upon the limitation of social
and industrial activity imposed by the
disabling conditions in view of the whole
recorded history.  Each examiner should
render an opinion as to the effect the
disabilities found have on the veteran's
ability to work, and state whether the
veteran's disabling conditions are
susceptible to improvement through
appropriate treatment.  The factors upon
which the medical opinions are based must
be set forth.

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 to each disability.  If the
decision remains adverse to the veteran, he
and his representative should be furnished
with a supplemental statement of the case.
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.

          GARY L. GICK
          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).