BVA9501794 
DOCKET NO.  93-23 458     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in St. Petersburg,
Florida

THE ISSUE

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

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: The American Legion

WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL

Appellant

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

E. J. McCafferty, Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active service from July 1950 to January 1956.
This appeal comes to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) from
the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in
St. Petersburg, Florida.  A traveling member of the Board held a
hearing at the RO in September 1993.

A line of decisions by the United States Court of Veterans
Appeals (Court) have raised questions with respect to the
adjudicative procedures followed in consideration of claims of
entitlement to nonservice-connected pension benefits.  This line
of decisions indicates a need for further development under 38
C.F.R. 3.321(a) with respect to establishing and considering all
of the veteran's disabilities as they relate to the issue of
entitlement to a permanent and total disability rating for
pension purposes.

REMAND

From our preliminary review of the record in this case, we note
that the RO has not had the opportunity to review and consider
all of the veteran's disabilities in making its determination.
The current record shows that in addition to the disabilities
considered by the RO, the veteran has complaints of chest pain
and shortness of breath and uses nitroglycerin for relief.
Abnormal electrocardiograms findings have also been reported.
Clinical records also show the veteran has been treated for
complaints of weakness and fatigue, dysphasia, multiple joint
pain, arthritis, fibrositis, adhesive capsulitis and other
disabilities.  These disabilities have not been evaluated or
considered in determining the veteran's entitlement to a
permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

In addition, we note that due to the length of the appellate
process, the veteran's pension examination has become dated.  In
order to better evaluate the veteran's current physical status,
we are of the opinion that an examination to obtain a current
assessment of all of the veteran's disabilities should be
undertaken before further appellate review is accomplished.
Accordingly, the case is being REMANDED for the following action:

The veteran should be accorded a general VA
medical examination to determine the nature
and extent of all currently existing
disabilities.  This should include the
previously considered conditions, the
conditions cited above and any additional
conditions noted by the examiner on the VA
examination..  When the comprehensive VA
examination has been conducted, the RO
should consider and evaluate each
individual disability and assign an
appropriate individual rating.  After
considering the disabling effects of the
veteran's individual and combined
disabilities in a rating decision, a
determination as to whether the veteran is
entitled to a permanent and total
disability rating for pension purposes
should be made.

When the above has been accomplished and if the claim remains
denied, the veteran and his representative should be furnished a
supplemental statement of the case covering the new evidence.
After they have had an adequate opportunity to respond, the case
should be returned to the Board for further appellate review.
The sole purpose of this REMAND is to obtain clarifying data.

          J. U. JOHNSON
          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).