Citation Nr: 18149902 Decision Date: 11/14/18 Archive Date: 11/14/18 DOCKET NO. 16-27 620 DATE: November 14, 2018 REMANDED Entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force from January 1972 to October 1973. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a November 2014 rating decision issued by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The Veteran’s Form 9 indicates that he did not request a Board hearing. The November 2014 rating decision granted service connection for the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss with a noncompensable disability rating effective September 9, 2013. The Veteran contends that his bilateral hearing loss warrants a compensable rating. Entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded. A review of the record reflects that further development is necessary. Although the Board sincerely regrets the additional delay, remand is necessary to ensure that there is a complete record upon which to decide the Veteran’s claims so that he is afforded every possible consideration. First, the record indicates that the Veteran’s claims file is currently missing relevant VA treatment records. In December 2017, a VA audiologist indicated that an audiological exam had been conducted to determine the current severity of the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss; however, the results of that audiological exam are not currently located in the Veteran’s claims file. Accordingly, remand is necessary to obtain any outstanding relevant records, including all VA treatment records. See 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(c). Second, the Board finds that because the record does not adequately reveal the current state of the Veteran’s disability, another VA examination must be conducted before the Veteran’s claim can be properly adjudicated. See Schafrath v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 589, 595 (1991). The Veteran was last afforded a VA examination for rating purposes for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss in November 2014. Since that examination, the Veteran’s VA treatment records dated December 2017 indicate that a VA audiologist conducted a subsequent audiological exam, the results of which indicated “slight changes” as compared to the November 2014 VA examination. Accordingly, the record contains objective medical evidence that the Veteran’s service-connected bilateral hearing loss may present a greater degree of impairment than the currently assigned evaluation indicates. However, as stated above, because the results of the Veteran’s December 2017 audiological examination are not currently associated with the Veteran’s claim file, the Board is unable to determine the extent of the Veteran’s current bilateral hearing loss. Therefore, in light of the foregoing, the Veteran should be provided an opportunity to report for a VA examination in order to ascertain the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. See Snuffer v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 400, 403 (1997). Accordingly, the matter is REMANDED for the following action: 1. Obtain the December 2017 audiogram and associate a copy with the electronic file. 2. Obtain from the VA healthcare system all outstanding relevant treatment records. All records/responses received should be associated with the claims file. If any records sought are not obtained, a written statement to that effect should be incorporated into the record. 3. Schedule the Veteran for a VA audiological examination to determine the current level of severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. Any and all studies, tests, and evaluations deemed necessary by the examiner should be performed. The examiner must review the Veteran’s claims file and explain the complete rationale for all opinions expressed and conclusions reached. H. SEESEL Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD Hannah Marsdale, Associate Counsel