BVA9501225 
DOCKET NO.  93-11 402     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

2.  Entitlement to service connection for tinnitus.

3.  Entitlement to an increased evaluation for post-traumatic
stress disorder with depression, currently evaluated as 30
percent disabling.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: The American Legion

WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL

Appellant

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Robert P. Regan, Counsel

REMAND

The veteran had active duty from November 1968 to April 1972.

The appellant in a December 1993 statement raised the issue of
entitlement to a schedular 100 percent rating based on individual
unemployability.  In May 1994, while the case was pending before
the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board), evidence was received
reflecting that he had been hospitalized at a VA facility for his
psychiatric disorders.  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 regional office (RO) for the
following development:

1.  The RO should obtain copies of any
additional medical records regarding
treatment subsequent to September 1992, to
include the April 1994 hospital summary, from
the VA medical facility located in Wilkes-
Barre, Pennsylvania.

2.  A VA social and industrial survey should
be conducted in order to clarify the
veteran's medical, social, educational, and
employment history.  The social worker should
elicit and set forth pertinent facts
regarding the veteran's medical history,
education, employment history, social
adjustment, and current behavior and health.
The social worker should offer an assessment
of the veteran's current functioning and
identify the conditions which limit his
employment opportunities.  Any potential
employment opportunities should be
identified.  The claims folders must be made
available to the social worker in conjunction
with the survey as it contains important
historical data.

3.  Following completion of the above
development, the veteran should be accorded
a VA psychiatric examination to determine
the severity of the service-connected post-
traumatic stress disorder with depression.
The claims folder must be made available to
the examiner prior to the evaluation so that
the examiner may review the pertinent
historical data contained therein.  The
examiner should utilize the social work
service report as well as pertinent data in
the claims folder in order to obtain a true
picture of the progress of the veteran's
psychiatric disorder.  The psychiatrist
should utilize any psychological testing
deemed pertinent in making a complete
diagnostic evaluation.  Based upon a review
of the record and the examination, the
physician should provide a Global Assessment
of Functioning (GAF) scale code and discuss
the nature and meaning of the GAF scale.  In
addition, the examiner should also discuss
the impairment of the veteran's ability to
establish and maintain relationships as well
as the reduction in initiative, efficiency
and reliability levels which may be
attributable to the service-connected
psychiatric disorder.  The examination
should be performed and reported in
accordance with the VA Physician's Guide for
Disability Evaluation Examinations.

4.  The veteran should be afforded a VA
examination by a specialist in ear disorders
in order to determine the nature and
severity of the bilateral hearing loss and
the etiology of the tinnitus.  An
audiological examination and any other tests
deemed necessary should be performed.  The
examiner should render an opinion as to the
etiology of the tinnitus.

5.  When the above development has been
completed the RO should readjudicate the
veteran's claims.  The rating should reflect
consideration of the applicability of
38 C.F.R. §§ 3.321(b)(1) and 4.16.

If the determination remains adverse to the veteran, he and his
representative should be furnished a supplemental statement of
the case which summarizes the pertinent evidence, fully cites the
applicable legal provisions and reflects detailed reasons and
bases for the decision reached.  After the veteran and his
representative have been given an opportunity to respond, 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.

          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).