Citation Nr: 20004502
Decision Date: 01/21/20	Archive Date: 01/21/20

DOCKET NO. 17-17 100A
DATE: January 21, 2020

REMANDED

Entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty in the United States Air Force from March 1965 to April 1987.  This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from an April 2015 rating decision by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).  In June 2019, the Veteran withdrew his request for a Board hearing.

Remand is necessary for additional development.  In this regard, the Veteran submitted a private audiological report that, if adequate for rating purposes, could demonstrate entitlement to a compensable rating.  See April 2017 Private Audiology Report.  Additionally, the Veteran alerted VA adjudicators to the existence of private treatment records.  See July 2015 Notice of Disagreement (NOD); April 2017 VA Form 9.  On remand, clarification should be requested from the April 2017 Private Audiologist as to whether speech discrimination was assessed using the Maryland CNC test.  See Savage v. Shinseki, 24 Vet. App. 259 (2011).  Updated VA and relevant private treatment records should be secured.  Once this development is completed, the Veteran should be afforded an examination with an examiner who has access to the complete record, including the private audiology report and any clarification that is received.

This matter is REMANDED for the following action:

1. Obtain updated VA treatment records.

2. With any necessary assistance from the Veteran, obtain any outstanding relevant private treatment records.

3. Contact the Veteran’s private audiologist (Vero ENT Associates) and clarify what speech discrimination test was used in the April 2017 evaluation.  See Medical Treatment Record Received May 4, 2017.

4. Then schedule the Veteran for an examination to determine the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss.  The claims file should be made available to and should be reviewed by the examiner.  

The examiner’s attention is invited to a private April 2017 audiology report and any clarification obtained from the audiologist.

 

 

S. BUSH

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

Attorney for the Board	D.M. Badaczewski, Associate Counsel

The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential, and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.