BVA9500497 
DOCKET NO.  93-10 571     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Chicago,
Illinois

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to an increased evaluation for major depression,
currently rated 50 percent disabling.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Veterans of Foreign Wars of the
United States

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Hilary L. Goodman, Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active service from December 1942 to December
1945.
This appeal arises from a January 1993 rating decision which
continued the veteran's 50 percent disability evaluation for
major depression.

REMAND

The veteran's representative has raised questions regarding the
accuracy of the veteran's psychiatric diagnosis and requests that
the treatment records from the veteran's psychiatrist, Gerald K.
Hoffman, M.D., be obtained.  The contentions presented by the
veteran raise the issue of service connection for post-traumatic
stress disorder.

In view of the foregoing, the Board finds that the issue should
be REMANDED to the originating agency for the following action:

1.  The originating agency should contact
the veteran, through his representative, to
obtain written authorization for the
release of his private medical records.
After securing authorization, the
originating agency should request copies of
all of the veteran's treatment records from
Dr. Hoffman.  All documents obtained should
be associated with the veteran's claims
file.

2.  After the requested medical records
have been secured, the originating agency
should schedule the veteran for a
psychiatric examination.  The express
purpose of this examination is to identify
all current psychiatric disabilities and
evaluate the current severity of his
service-connected major depression.  All
necessary tests should be conducted and all
clinical manifestations should be reported
in detail.  The examining physician should
be given access to the veteran's claims
file for a sufficient period of time prior
to the examination to allow for a complete
review of the record.  A Global Assessment
of Functioning Scale should be entered.

3.  The RO should determine whether there
is an informal claim for a total rating for
compensation on the basis of individual
unemployability.

4.  The RO is to inform the veteran and the
representative that if there is an intent
to claim service connection for post-
traumatic stress disorder, a formal claim
should be entered.  In addition, since
service connection has been granted for
major depression, the parties should
identify the potential benefit sought in
the claim for post-traumatic stress
disorder.

Thereafter, the case should be returned to the Board for further
consideration, if in order.  No action is required by the veteran
until he receives further notice.  The purpose of this REMAND is
to obtain clarifying medical information and afford the veteran
due process.

          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.

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).