Citation Nr: 18158537
Decision Date: 12/17/18	Archive Date: 12/17/18

DOCKET NO. 14-38 316A
DATE:	December 17, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to a compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss from April 16, 2012 is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from April 1981 to October 1985.
Upon review of the record, the Board finds that the issue must be remanded.  The Board sincerely regrets the additional delay caused by this remand, but wishes to assure the Veteran that it is necessary for a full and fair adjudication of his claim.
1. Entitlement to a compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss from April 16, 2012
The Board finds that a new examination is warranted for the Veteran’s claim.  The Veteran submitted an August 2016 examination, however the examination is inadequate as controlled speech discrimination test scores are not listed.  Furthermore, the Board notes that the Veteran’s last adequate audiological examination of record was in September 2014.  As it has been over four years since that examination and the Veteran has submitted August 2016 medical records that indicate possible increased severity, the Board finds that a new examination is warranted.  See Green v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 121 (1991) (VA has a duty to conduct a thorough and contemporaneous examination of the Veteran in an increased rating claim); Schafrath v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 589 (1991).
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Assist the Veteran in associating with the claims folder updated treatment records.
2. Schedule the Veteran with an audiological examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran’s hearing loss.
 
A. S. CARACCIOLO
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	R. Gandhi, Associate Counsel