BVA9508028 
DOCKET NO.  93-14 758     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Cleveland, Ohio

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to restoration of a 100 percent evaluation for
paranoid schizophrenia, currently rated as 70 percent disabling.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

WITNESSES AT HEARING ON APPEAL

Appellant and his wife

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

J. W. LOEB, Counsel
INTRODUCTION

The veteran served on active duty from August 1975 to August
1978.  This case comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals
(Board) on appeal from a November 1990 rating decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in
Cleveland, Ohio, which reduced the veteran's 100 percent
evaluation for paranoid schizophrenia to 70 percent, effective
February 1, 1991.

REMAND

The veteran's appeal was certified to the Board in June 1993.  VA
hospital records for January and February 1994, which were
received by the Board in March 1994, are pertinent to the
veteran's claim.  These records were received without a waiver of
the veteran's right to have the evidence initially considered by
the RO.  Any pertinent evidence submitted by the veteran or
representative that is accepted by the Board must be referred to
the RO for review and preparation of a supplemental statement of
the case, unless this procedural right is waived by the veteran.
38 C.F.R. § 20.1304(c) (1994).  The material in question includes
pertinent evidence of medical treatment after the case was
received by the Board and should be considered in connection with
the current appeal.

Accordingly, the Board finds that additional development is
required prior to final disposition of this case.  Therefore,
this case is being REMANDED to the RO for the following actions:

1.  The veteran should be permitted to
submit any additional evidence in his
possession that is pertinent to the issue
on appeal.  He should also be requested to
provide the names, addresses, and dates of
treatment of any physicians or facilities,
including the VA, that have treated him for
a psychiatric disorder since December 1992,
which is the date of his most recent VA
examination.  Any medical provider
identified should be asked for copies of
the veteran's clinical records.  Any
records obtained should be associated with
the claims folder.  The veteran should be
asked to sign any necessary consent forms
for release of his private medical records.

2.  The veteran should be given a special
psychiatric examination, in accordance with
the VA Physician's Guide for Disability
Evaluation Examinations, to determine the
current severity of his service-connected
paranoid schizophrenia.  The claims folder
must be made available to the examiner for
review.  The examiner should obtain a
recent employment history from the veteran,
to include the amount of time lost from
work due to paranoid schizophrenia, if
employed, and any attempts to obtain
employment, if unemployed.  All necessary
tests and studies, including appropriate
psychological studies, should be conducted,
and all findings should be reported in
detail.  The examiner should be asked to
include a Global Assessment of Functioning
Score with the diagnostic formulation and
explain what the assigned score represents.
The examiner should also provide an opinion
as to the extent to which the veteran's
paranoid schizophrenia interferes with his
ability to establish and maintain
relationships as well as the reduction in
initiative, efficiency, flexibility and
reliability levels due to paranoid
schizophrenia.  The rationale for any
opinion expressed should be provided.

3.  The RO should then readjudicate the
issue on appeal, to include consideration
of all of the evidence on file and all
relevant laws and regulations, including
38 C.F.R. § 4.16(c) (1994).
When the above actions have been completed, unless the benefit
sought is granted to the satisfaction of the veteran, the veteran
and his representative should be provided with a supplemental
statement of the case and given the applicable time period to
respond.  The case should then be returned to the Board, if
otherwise in order.  The veteran need take no action until
notified.

          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 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) (1994).