Citation Nr: 1803217	
Decision Date: 01/18/18    Archive Date: 01/29/18

DOCKET NO.  14-11 657	)	DATE
	)
	)

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


THE ISSUE

Entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss disability.


REPRESENTATION

Veteran represented by:	The American Legion


ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

C.A. Skow, Counsel



INTRODUCTION

The Veteran served on active duty from May 1969 to March 1971.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a June 2011 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The appeal is REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ).  VA will notify the Veteran if further action is required.


REMAND

The Veteran seeks an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss disability.  His last VA examination was conducted in May 2011.  Evidence added to the record since that examination, specifically the representative's remarks dated in December 2017, suggests worsening of the condition since the last VA examination.  As such, reexamination is warranted.  See 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.326, 3.327; Snuffer v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 400, 403 (1997).

Accordingly, the case is REMANDED for the following action:

1.  All updated pertinent treatment records should be obtained and associated with the claims file.

2.  The Veteran should be scheduled for a VA audiological examination by an appropriately trained medical professional to ascertain the severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability using the most recent Disability Benefits Questionnaire.  The examiner must fully describe the functional effects caused by the Veteran's hearing disability to include the impact on ordinary conditions of life and his ability to function in the workplace (i.e. ability to understand conversations in noise and no-noise filled environments, ability to understand conversation over the telephone, ability to understand conversation when not face-to-face, etc.).

3.  After ensuring any other necessary development has been completed, the AOJ should readjudicate the claim.  If the benefit sought is not granted, the Veteran and his representative should be furnished a Supplemental Statement of the Case and given the requisite opportunity to respond before the case is returned to the Board.
 
By this remand, the Board intimates no opinion as to any final outcome warranted.

The Veteran has the right to submit additional evidence and argument on the matter or matters the Board has remanded.  Kutscherousky v. West, 12 Vet. App. 369 (1999).

This claim must be afforded expeditious treatment.  The law requires that all claims that are remanded by the Board of Veterans' Appeals or by the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims for additional development or other appropriate action must be handled in an expeditious manner.  See 38 U.S.C. §§ 5109B, 7112 (2012).




_________________________________________________
G. A. WASIK
Veterans Law Judge, Board of Veterans' Appeals

Under 38 U.S.C. § 7252 (2012), only a decision of the Board of Veterans' Appeals is appealable to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.  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) (2017).