BVA9503849 
DOCKET NO.  93-12 466     )       DATE
          )
          )

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

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to an increased evaluation for paranoid
schizophrenia, currently evaluated as 50 percent disabling.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Paralyzed Veterans of America,
Inc.

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

J. Horrigan, Counsel

REMAND

The veteran served on active duty from January to August 1980.

This matter came before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board)
from a May 1990 decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) Regional Office (RO) in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The veteran last received a VA psychiatric examination in
November 1991.  The veteran's representative has contended that
this evaluation was inadequate and he requests that a further
examination be conducted prior to appellate consideration of the
veteran's claim.  The record also indicates that considerable
relevant medical evidence may be available which is not currently
in the claims folder.

In addition, the record indicates that the veteran has also been
diagnosed as having a bipolar disorder, a polysubstance abuse
disorder, and a personality disorder.  Where, as here, the record
reflects that the veteran has multiple Axis I diagnoses as well
as an Axis II diagnosis, the Board must be able to point to
clinical data reflecting the degree of impairment caused by the
service-connected disorder, as opposed to impairment resulting
from other Axis I disorders and the personality disorder.

In view of the foregoing and given the duty to assist the veteran
in the development of his claim under the provisions of 38
U.S.C.A. 5107(a) (West 1991), this case is remanded to the RO for
the following development:

1.  The RO should request the veteran to
provide the names and addresses of all
health care providers who have treated him
for psychiatric symptoms and substance
abuse from 1989 to the present.  After
receiving any necessary authorizations
from the veteran, the RO should obtain
copies of all indicated records which are
not currently in the claims folder.  These
records should include up-to date records
from the Bay Pines VA Medical Center and
the James A. Haley VA Hospital.  All
records obtained should be associated with
the claims folder.

2.  The veteran should then be afforded a
VA psychiatric examination to determine
the nature of all psychiatric disorders
which are present.  The claims folder must
be made available to the examiner prior to
the examination so that he may study the
clinical record in detail.  The
examination report should contain a
detailed account of all pathology present.
Primary personality disorders should be
fully described and classified.  The
relationship, if any, between the
veteran's service-connected psychiatric
disorder and any other condition
identified, to include any personality
disorder and substance abuse disorder,
should be discussed.  The examiner should
reconcile the diagnoses and specify which
symptoms are associated with each of the
disorders.  If certain symptomatology
cannot be dissociated from one disorder or
another, the examiner should so specify.
Any psychological testing deemed necessary
to make a complete diagnostic evaluation
and to differentiate symptoms attributable
to the service-connected psychiatric dis-
order from those due to other conditions
should be accomplished.  The examiner
should describe how the symptomatology of
the service-connected psychiatric disorder
affects the veteran's social and
industrial capacity.  The examiner should
assign a numerical code under the GAF
scale provided in the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders
and specify which descriptive phrase most
appropriately reflects the veteran's level
of functioning.

3.  Then, after any further development
deemed appropriate, the RO should again
adjudicate the veteran's claim.  The
rating decision should reflect con-
sideration of all potentially applicable
criteria, to include consideration of the
applicability of 38 C.F.R. § 3.321(b)(1).
If the benefit sought on appeal is not
granted to the veteran's satisfaction, he
and his representative should be provided
a Supplemental Statement of the Case and
afforded a reasonable opportunity to
respond.

Thereafter, the case should be returned to the Board for further
consideration, if appropriate.  By this remand, the Board
intimates no opinion as to the outcome warranted in this case.
No action is required of the veteran until he is so informed by
the RO.

          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 Improvements 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).