Citation Nr: 20021100 Decision Date: 03/24/20 Archive Date: 03/24/20 DOCKET NO. 18-20 038 DATE: March 24, 2020 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from September 1984 to June 1987. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) from a September 2016 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Manchester, New Hampshire. Entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded. The Veteran received a VA examination regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed bilateral hearing loss in September 2016. The examiner diagnosed the Veteran with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and opined that the hearing loss was less likely than not caused by or the result of an event in military service. In support of the opinion, the examiner acknowledged the Veteran’s in-service noise exposure as an armor crewman, but stated the Veteran’s separation examination showed hearing to be within normal limits through 6000 Hz, the Veteran’s service treatment records were silent for complaints related to hearing loss or tinnitus, and that the Veteran reported significant post-service history of recreational noise exposure. The examiner, however, failed to explain the significance of the Veteran’s access to hearing protection both during active duty service and in post-service activities. The examiner also did not discuss the possibility of delayed on-set hearing loss. The Board finds this opinion to be inadequate for determining entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss. In a March 2018 addendum opinion, the VA examiner merely stated that there were not any significant shifts in hearing levels form entrance to discharge, concluding that noise exposure in service did not result in significant injury. The Board finds this statement to be conclusory and inadequate for determining entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss. Accordingly, remand is warranted to obtain a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s diagnosed bilateral hearing loss. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: Schedule the Veteran for an examination with an examiner of appropriate expertise to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss. All pertinent evidence of record must be made available to and reviewed by the examiner(s). Any indicated studies should be performed. Following a review of the relevant records and lay statements, the examiner should state an opinion with respect to whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or greater) that any current hearing loss disability arose during service or is otherwise related to service, to include as due to reported acoustic trauma and noise exposure from assignment as an armor crewman. (Continued on next page) In the opinion the examiner should specifically address the Veteran’s access to adequate hearing protection both while active duty and during post-service recreational activities. T. REYNOLDS Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board D. Gorum, 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.