Citation Nr: 21003856
Decision Date: 01/25/21	Archive Date: 01/25/21

DOCKET NO. 17-13 213
DATE: January 25, 2021

REMANDED

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

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from June 1987 to June 1989.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from an October 2014 rating decision of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The Veteran testified at a virtual Board hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge in September 2020. 

The Veteran seeks an initial compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss. After review of the evidence, the Board finds that remand is needed in order to provide an updated VA examination regarding the current severity of the Veteran’s hearing loss.

The most recent audiogram sufficient for VA rating purposes is from a July 2016 VA examination. Of record is a December 2016 audiology note that found word recognition scores around 70-percent and 80-percent (with no indication that the Maryland CNC word list, as required for VA rating purposes, was used), and at the September 2020 Board hearing the Veteran stated he could not say whether his hearing loss had worsened since July 2016. Given the audiology note’s indication that the Veteran’s speech discrimination may have worsened since July 2016, as well as the length of time since the last complete examination sufficient for rating purposes, a new VA examination should be provided to ensure an accurate assessment of the current severity of the Veteran’s disability. See Snuffer v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 400, 403 (1997); see also 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.326(a), 3.327.

Accordingly, the matter is REMANDED for the following action:

1. Schedule the Veteran for a VA examination regarding the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. 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.

2. After the above development and any other development deemed necessary is completed, readjudicate the Veteran’s claim.

 

K. Parakkal

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

Attorney for the Board	M. Davis, 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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.