BVA9503566 
DOCKET NO.  93-09 143     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Houston, Texas

THE ISSUE

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

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

C. D. Hayden, Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran, who performed active duty from June 11 to August 8,
1945, died in May 1992.

This matter has come before Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on
appeal from a July 1992 rating decision by the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA), Houston, Texas, Regional Office (RO) which
denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The appellant, widow of the veteran, has submitted a notice of
disagreement with an October 1992 rating decision by the RO which
denied accrued benefits based upon a temporary total rating on
account of the veteran's having been hospitalized in excess of
21 days for a service-connected disability.  38 C.F.R. § 4.29
(1994).  This issue has not been developed for appellate review.
It is referred to the RO for additional development.  In a
February 1993 rating decision, the RO denied additional special
monthly pension on account of the appellant's need for regular
aid and attendance or being housebound.  The appellant has
submitted evidence on that point directly to the Board.  However,
it does not appear from the record that a notice of disagreement
with the February 1993 decision has been filed with the RO.  The
Board will limit its review to the issue cited on the title page
of this decision.

REMAND

The cause of the veteran's death listed on his death certificate
was subacute bacterial peritonitis, due to or as a likely
consequence of immunosuppression due to or as a likely
consequence of chemotherapy due to or as a likely consequence of
high grade lymphoma.  Hepatic and renal failure were listed as
contributory causes.  An autopsy was not performed.  During the
veteran's lifetime, service connection was in effect for
schizophrenia, evaluated as 30 percent disabling; nummular eczema
dyshidrosis, evaluated as 10 percent disabling and tardive
dyskinesia evaluated as zero percent disabling.

The appellant asserts that the veteran's service-connected
disabilities were a factor in causing his death.  Specifically,
she states, in her substantive appeal, that his psychiatric
disability caused him to be depressed and anxious and "caused him
to give in to the last illness" from which he died and that side
effects from medication prescribed for his service-connected
disabilities helped to cause his death.  She requests that VA
treatment records pertaining to the veteran be obtained and
reviewed.

The Board believes that review of the records requested by the
appellant would be desirable prior to further action.

The case is, accordingly, REMANDED for the following additional
development:

1.  The complete clinical record of
treatment of the veteran at the VA Medical
Center, San Antonio, Texas, should be
obtained and associated with the claims
file.

2.  When the foregoing development has been
completed, the appealed issue should be
reevaluated by the RO.

If the benefit sought on appeal is not granted, the appellant and
her representative should be furnished a supplemental statement
of the case and afforded a suitable opportunity to respond.
Thereafter, the case should be returned to the Board in
accordance with the procedures for processing appeals.

No further action is required of the appellant until she receives
further notice.  By this REMAND, the Board intimates no opinion,
factual or legal, regarding the decision warranted, pending
completion of the requested development.

          THOMAS J. DANNAHER
          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).