BVA9505754 
DOCKET NO.  93-07 765     )       DATE
          )
          )

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

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to an increased rating for post-traumatic stress
disorder, currently evaluated as 30 percent disabling.

2.  Entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual
unemployability due to service-connected disability.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: James W. Stanley, Jr., Attorney
at Law.

WITNESSES AT HEARING ON APPEAL

Appellant and his wife.

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

James A. Pritchett,  Associate Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran served on active duty from October 1966 to December
1968.

This appeal arises from a July 1992 decision by the North Little
Rock, Arkansas, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional
Office (RO) that granted service connection for post-traumatic
stress disorder, evaluated as 30 percent disabling and a January
1993 decision that denied entitlement to individual
unemployability due to service-connected disability.

In January 1993, the veteran's representative raised the issue of
entitlement to an earlier effective date for the award of service
connection for post-traumatic stress disorder. This issue is
referred to the RO for appropriate action.

REMAND

The record indicates that the veteran has had serious physical
disabilities as well as psychiatric disabilities.  The report of
a VA special psychiatric evaluation dated in May 1992 indicates
that the veteran had had heart attacks in 1988 and 1991.
Although a diagnosis of chronic post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) was made, the report notes that the veteran's mood was
depressed when he did not feel well physically, which was most of
the time.  A Social Security Administration decision dated in
June 1992 is based largely on the veteran's coronary disorders,
but does note that his emotional status severely impaired his
social and vocational adaptability.  The report of an April 1993
private psychiatric evaluation conducted by Douglas A. Stevens,
Ph.D., a clinical psychologist, concluded that the veteran was
demonstrably unable to obtain or retain employment.

Since the veteran's claim is well grounded, the VA has a duty to
assist in the development of facts pertinent to his claim.  38
U.S.C.A. § 5107 (West 1991); 38 C.F.R. § 3.103 (1994).
Accordingly, the case is remanded to the RO for the following:

1.  The RO should obtain copies of any
VA inpatient or outpatient records of
treatment for post-traumatic stress
disorder not already part of the
claims file.

2.  The RO should obtain copies of all
available treatment records not
already a part of the file from
William V. Relyea, M.D., and Douglas
A. Stevens, Ph.D. since April 1993.

3. The Social Security Administration
should be asked to provide copies of
all vocational and medical records not
already on file considered in all
recent determinations of the veteran's
employability.

4.  The veteran should be scheduled
for a VA special psychiatric
examination in order to determine the
nature and extent of all current
psychiatric pathology.  All necessary
tests and studies should be
accomplished and all clinical
manifestations should be reported in
detail.  Reasons and bases for all
diagnoses should be provided in
accordance with the applicable
provisions of the Physician's Guide
for Disability Evaluation Examinations
and the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth
Edition, Washington, D.C., 1994 (DSM
IV). An Axis V diagnosis (Global
Assessment of Functioning) related to
PTSD must be noted.  The claims
folder must be made available to
the examiners for review prior to
the examination, and the report of
the examination should indicate
whether it was made available.

After completion of the above development, the veteran's claim
should be further reviewed.  If the determination is adverse, the
veteran and his representative should be provided with a
supplemental statement of the case and given the appropriate
opportunity to respond thereto.  Thereafter, the claims file,
including the above requested evidence, should be returned to
this Board for appellate review, if in order.  No action is
required by the veteran until he receives further notice.

The purpose of this remand is to procure clarifying data.  The
Board intimates no opinion, either legal or factual, as to the
ultimate disposition of the appeal.

          WAYNE M. BRAEUER
          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).