Citation Nr: 18160036
Decision Date: 12/20/18	Archive Date: 12/20/18

DOCKET NO. 17-07 516
DATE:	December 20, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty in the Army from July 1975 to December 1982.  
In August 2017, the Veteran testified before the undersigned at a video conference hearing.
The Veteran contends that his service-connected bilateral hearing loss has increased in severity over time.  In his August 2017 hearing testimony, the Veteran stated that the evaluation of his hearing loss does not reflect his current level of disability and his hearing has worsened since his last VA examination in May 2017.  Specifically, the Veteran stated that he cannot understand or hear people unless he is talking to them face to face, and he is unable to hear without his hearing aids.  
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Obtain all outstanding VA treatment records.  Any attempts to obtain these records and responses received thereafter should be associated with the Veteran’s claims file.  The Veteran should also be offered the opportunity to submit any private treatment records in support of his claim.
2. Schedule the Veteran for an examination by an appropriate clinician to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.  All necessary tests should be conducted, and the examiner should provide a full description of the disability and report all signs and symptoms necessary for evaluating the Veteran’s disability under the rating criteria.  To the extent possible, the examiner should identify any symptoms and functional impairments due to bilateral hearing loss alone and discuss the effect of the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss on any occupational functioning and activities of daily living.
 
JENNIFER HWA
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	J. Freeman, Associate Counsel