Citation Nr: 18158577
Decision Date: 12/17/18	Archive Date: 12/17/18

DOCKET NO. 17-07 937
DATE:	December 17, 2018
REMANDED
Service connection for tinnitus is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty in the Air Force from November 1984 to April 1988. 
This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a September 2014 rating decision of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).
1. Service Connection for Tinnitus is Remanded.
The Veteran is seeking service connection for tinnitus. The Board finds that additional opinion is needed prior to adjudication of this claim. 
The Veteran was afforded a VA examination in connection with his tinnitus claim in September 2014. Although the examiner did provide a diagnosis of tinnitus, the examiner based the negative nexus opinion on the fact that the Veteran does not have hearing loss and that tinnitus was not shown in service. However, tinnitus need not be shown during service for service connection to be established if there is competent evidence linking the current condition to service. Accordingly, an addendum opinion is needed. 

The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
Send the claims file to a VA audiologist to obtain an addendum opinion on the claim for service connection for tinnitus. If a new examination is deemed necessary   to respond to the question presented, one should be scheduled. Following review of the claims file, the examiner should explain why the Veteran’s current tinnitus is/is not a delayed response to his in-service noise exposure.  

 
K. A. BANFIELD
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	G. N. Wilson, Law Clerk