Citation Nr: 18139813
Decision Date: 10/01/18	Archive Date: 10/01/18

DOCKET NO. 17-46 577A
DATE:	October 1, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, currently evaluated as 40 percent disabling, is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from June 1942 to May 1946, from April 1950 to April 1953 and from July 1958 to July 1964.
This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) from a July 2017 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).
In July 2018, the Veteran testified at a Board hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge. A transcript of the hearing is of record.
This appeal has been advanced on the Board’s docket pursuant to 38 C.F.R. § 20.900 (c); 38 U.S.C. § 7107(a) (2).
Entitlement to an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss 
The Veteran is seeking an increased evaluation for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran most recently underwent a VA audiology examination in June 2017. In a March 2018 statement and at the July 2018 Board hearing, the Veteran asserted his hearing loss had worsened and the current evaluation          did not reflect its disabling effect. He alleges that his March 2018 audiogram conducted at the VA clinic reflects a hearing level worse than the 40 percent rating currently assigned.  Although the March 2018 audiogram report is contained in the claims file, it is unclear which speech audiometry values represent the actual discrimination score to be used for purposes of evaluating hearing loss under the rating criteria in 38 C.F.R. § 4.85. The Board notes that   the test conducted was a recorded voice, Maryland CNC test. Clarification    should be sought on remand.
If the clarification of the March 2018 test results does not result in a higher evaluation for hearing loss, the Veteran should then be afforded a VA audiology examination. Although he did not report for one scheduled in April 2018, in          an April 2018 statement, a Veterans Service Officer stated that, prior to the examination, she requested it be conducted closer to the Veteran’s home due        to his advanced age and difficulty traveling, and was told the request would be referred to the VA. Thus, if an examination is necessary, an attempt to schedule him at a facility closer to his home should be made.
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Contact a VA audiologist and ask him/her to review  the March 2, 2018 audiology evaluation conducted at   the Cypress Avenue VA clinic, to clarify which values listed on the report under Speech Audiometry testing reflect the speech discrimination scores (percentages) that can be used to evaluate hearing loss under the    Rating Schedule criteria.  
2. If, after the above is completed, a higher rating is      not warranted for the Veteran’s hearing loss, schedule him for a VA audiology examination at a location near his home if at all possible, to include QTC contract scheduling (or equivalent) to the extent possible. The claims file should be reviewed by the examiner. All necessary tests should be performed and the results reported.
 
K. A. BANFIELD
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	M. C. Birder, Associate Counsel