Citation Nr: 21003971 Decision Date: 01/25/21 Archive Date: 01/25/21 DOCKET NO. 19-37 297 DATE: January 25, 2021 ORDER Entitlement to an increased rating of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty in the United States Army from July 1963 to July 1965. This appeal comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) from a June 2018 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). In November 2020 the Veteran testified before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge. The transcript of the proceeding has been associated with the claims file. Although the Board regrets the additional delay, a remand is necessary to ensure that due process is followed and that there is a complete record upon which to decide the Veteran’s claim so that he is afforded every possible consideration. 38 U.S.C. § 5103A; 38 C.F.R. § 3.159. In May 2018 the Veteran submitted a claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. In doing so, the Veteran described worsening symptomatology, to include difficulty with background noise, hearing female and child voices and needing to turn up the volume of his television. See May 2018 VA 21-526EZ, see also May 2018 VA 21-4138. A VA examination was provided in June 2018 and based upon the results the Veteran’s noncompensable rating was continued in June 2018. The Veteran subsequently submitted a timely notice of disagreement and was provided a second VA examination in October 2019. Based upon the results of the examination, a Statement of the Case (SOC) was provided in December 2019, continuing the Veteran’s noncompensable rating. The Veteran submitted a timely VA Form 9 in which he requested a hearing before a VLJ. In October 2020 a hearing was provided. There, the Veteran testified as to a worsening of symptomatology since his last VA examination, to include not understanding what people are saying when talking to him. As evidence of this, the Veteran testified as to receiving new hearing aid with an audiogram. See November 2020 Hearing Transcript. He submitted VA outpatient treatment records that included a report of a June 2020 audiometric examination in which there was some worsening of puretone thresholds. However the speech recognition testing was performed using the CIDW-22 method and not the requited Maryland CNC method. Regrettably, because the speech recognition scores are integral to the rating determination, an additional examination is necessary. The matters are REMANDED for the following actions: 1. Schedule the Veteran for a VA audiometric examination. The claims file must be reviewed by the examiner and the examiner must note whether the claims file was reviewed. All indicated studies should be conducted, and all findings reported in detail. 2. Thereafter, readjudicate the claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss. If the benefit sought is not granted, furnish to the Veteran and his representative a supplemental statement of the case and allow an appropriate opportunity to respond before returning the case to the Board. The Veteran has the right to submit additional evidence and argument on the matters the Board has remanded. Kutscherousky v. West, 12 Vet. App. 369. This claim must be afforded expeditious treatment. The law requires that all claims that are remanded by the Board or by the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims for additional development or other appropriate action must be handled in an expeditious manner. See 38 U.S.C. §§ 5109B, 7112. J.W. FRANCIS Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board P. Abels, 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.