BVA9501583 
DOCKET NO.  93-07 584     )       DATE
          )
          )

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

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for a tumor of the right
foot.

2.  Entitlement to service connection for a nervous stomach.

3.  Entitlement to service connection for bloody stool.

4.  Entitlement to service connection for hypoglycemia.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Florida Department of Veterans
Affairs

REMAND

The veteran had active duty from July 1990 to January 1991.

The veteran's representative has noted that the regional office
incorrectly reported the service dates in the statement of the
case.

The regional office denied service connection for bloody stools
and hypoglycemia as constitutional or developmental
abnormalities.  Regardless of the fact that an inservice examiner
noted the presence of hemorrhoids, the opinion of the regional
office is not supported by the record.  The Board notes that the
veteran reported that hypoglycemia had been diagnosed prior to
service.  No attempt was made to obtain the records.  We also
note that the opinion that the tumor preexisted service is not
clearly supported by medical opinion.  Despite the veteran's
comment that there had been an earlier mass, the inservice
examiners did not diagnose the condition as existing prior to
service.

To ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has met
its duty to assist the claimant in developing the facts pertinent
to the claim and to ensure full compliance with due process
requirements, the case is REMANDED to the regional office (RO)
for the following development:

1.  The veteran should be afforded a VA
examination.  The examiner should determine
whether the veteran has hypoglycemia, a
psychiatric disorder or bloody stools.  If
any of the above is present, the etiology
should be established.  The claims folder
should be made available to the examiner
for review before the examination.

2.  The regional office should attempt to
obtain copies of all preservice medical
records, including any documentation that
hypoglycemia preexisted service.

3.  The regional office should have the
claims file reviewed by an examiner who is
familiar with giant cell tumors.  The
examiner should review the record and
render a determination as to whether the
symptoms noted in the service medical
records represented a giant cell tumor that
preexisted service.  In addition, if the
giant cell tumor preexisted service, the
examiner should render an opinion as to
whether there was an increase in severity
of the tumor during service.  If there was
an increase in severity, the examiner
should enter an opinion as to whether the
increase was due to natural progress or
some other cause.

4.  If the regional office enters a
decision that bloody stools and
hypoglycemia are constitutional or
developmental conditions, such decision
must be supported by medical evidence.  If
the regional office changes the reason for
the denial of service connection, a formal
rating decision and an appropriate
supplemental statement of the case should
be issued.  All decsions must be supported
by evidence.

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.

          H. N. SCHWARTZ
          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.
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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).