Citation Nr: 18145752
Decision Date: 10/30/18	Archive Date: 10/30/18

DOCKET NO. 15-06 829
DATE:	October 30, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to a disability rating greater than 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran had active service from January 1971 to January 1973.
Although the Veteran initially requested a Travel Board hearing when he perfected a timely appeal in February 2015, he subsequently withdrew this request in March 2015 correspondence.  See 38 C.F.R. § 20.704 (2017).
1. Entitlement to a disability rating greater than 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.
The Veteran essentially contends that his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is more disabling than currently evaluated.  Having reviewed the record evidence, the Board finds that additional development is necessary before the underlying claim can be adjudicated on the merits.
A review of the record evidence shows that the Veteran’s most recent VA hearing loss and tinnitus Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) occurred in November 2014.  The Court has held that when a Veteran alleges that his service-connected disability has worsened since he was examined previously, a new examination may be required to evaluate the current degree of impairment.  See Snuffer v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 400, 403 (1997); but see Palczewski v. Nicholson, 21 Vet. App. 174, 182 (2007) (finding "mere passage of time" does not render old examination inadequate).  Given the Veteran's contentions, and given the length of time which has elapsed since his most recent VA examination in November 2014, the Board finds that, on remand, he should be scheduled for an updated VA examination to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1.  Schedule the Veteran for an examination to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss
2.  Readjudicate the appeal.
 
R. FEINBERG
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	Michael T. Osborne, Counsel