BVA9500658 
DOCKET NO.  93-06 510     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in No. Little
Rock, Arkansas

THE ISSUES

Entitlement to service connection for the cause of the veteran's
death.

Entitlement to service connection for post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), for accrued benefits purposes.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: The American Legion

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

R. K. ErkenBrack, Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The appellant was informed by letter from the regional office
(RO) in December 1992 that a claim for service connection based
on Agent Orange exposure, for accrued benefits purposes, had been
deferred pending legislation.  Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) regulations have since been revised, and claims based on
Agent Orange exposure can now be adjudicated.  In this case, it
appears that a claim based on Agent Orange exposure has been
pending since 1986.  The RO's attention is directed to this
matter.

REMAND

The veteran, who had active duty from November 1964 to November
1967, died in May 1991.  He had served in the Republic of
Vietnam.  His decorations included the Combat Infantryman Badge.
The death certificate shows that he died from staphylococcal
sepsis due to pneumonia and pulmonary edema.  An autopsy was
performed but the complete records thereof are not on file.

Service connection was in effect for no disability during the
veteran's lifetime.  A claim for service-connection for PTSD was
pending when he died.

A VA Chief of Medical Services addressed the cause of the
veteran's death in an April 1992 opinion.  Here it was expressed
that he probably developed urinary sepsis that set in motion the
medical complication that caused his death.

The appellant claims that service connection should have been in
effect for PTSD and medication for this condition was a
contributory cause of death.  In the April 1992 opinion, it was
stated that the drugs the veteran was taking for his psychiatric
condition could have caused urinary retention.  The probable
sequence of events leading to death were urinary retention,
sepsis, shock, "ARDS," arrhythmia, and emesis with aspiration.

The appellant's representative feels that the entire terminal
hospital records should be obtained in support of the diagnosis
of PTSD and medication given therefor being a contributory cause
of death.

The available clinical records indicate that the veteran had
received treatment for neuropsychiatric dysfunction, variously
diagnosed, since July 1968.  The various diagnoses included
sociopathic personality disturbance, anti-social reaction,
alcohol/drug abuse, anxiety neurosis, PTSD, and organic mood
disorder.

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

1.  With the appellant's written
authorization for the release of medical
records, where needed, the RO should obtain
the complete hospital and outpatient
treatment records of the veteran from
Galesburg State Research Hospital,
Galesburg, IL 61401, dated from July 1968
to February 1970; VA Medical Center (MC),
Chicago-West Side, IL; VAMC, Kansas City,
MO; VAMC and Domiciliary, Temple, TX; VA
Outpatient Clinic (OPC), Tulsa, OK; VAMC,
Oklahoma City, OK; Oklahoma Veteran Center,
P.O. Box 1209, Clinton, OK, 73601; VAMC,
Muskogee, OK; VAMC, Danville, IL; VAOPC,
Peoria, IL; VAMC, Fayetteville, AR; and
VAMC, N. Little Rock Division (NLRD) and
Little Rock Division (LRD), to include the
complete terminal hospital records and
autopsy protocol records.

2.  Thereafter, the RO should review the
claims.  If the benefits sought are not
granted, the appellant and her
representative should be furnished a
supplemental statement of the case which
considers all of the evidence added to the
record since the statement of the case
issued in October 1991, and, in addition,
which includes the criteria pertinent to
accrued benefits claims and to the PTSD
claim, to include 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f).

Thereafter, the case should be returned to the Board, if in
order.  The Board intimates no opinion as to the ultimate outcome
of this case.  The appellant need take no action unless otherwise
notified.

          NANCY I. PHILLIPS
          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).