Citation Nr: 21062097
Decision Date: 10/06/21	Archive Date: 10/06/21

DOCKET NO. 18-09 067
DATE: October 6, 2021

REMANDED

A compensable rating for hearing loss is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from September 1964 to September 1967.  

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a July 2016 rating decision. The Veteran testified before the undersigned Veterans' Law Judge at a May 2021 Board hearing.  A transcript of that hearing is of record.

The Board finds that a new examination is required in light of the evidence of worsening symptomatology and a claim that the most recent VA examination of record was inaccurate. The Veteran received a VA examination in June 2021, however in subsequent lay statements, the Veteran indicated continued worsening of this disability.  In a September 2021 statement, the Veteran alleged that loud ringing in the ears interferes with hearing certain sounds and words.   The Veteran asserted that the June 2021 VA examination did not accurately reflect the severity of hearing loss, specifically speech discrimination.  The Veteran believes that the testing did not capture hearing loss from in front and behind him, where he says it is the worst.  

Given the potential of increased symptomatology and the claim of an inaccurate VA examination, a remand is required to afford the Veteran with another VA examination to assess the current severity of this service-connected disability. Snuffer v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 400 (1997); Green v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 121 (1991).

The matter is REMANDED for the following action:

1. Associate any pertinent VA or private medical records that are not already of record with the claims file.

2. Schedule the Veteran for a VA audiology examination to determine the severity of a service-connected hearing loss disability.  The examiner must review the claims file, including the Veteran's lay statements, and should note that review in the report.  The examiner should provide audiometric findings and speech discrimination scores using the Maryland CNC test.  The examiner should describe all symptoms related to the hearing loss and should discuss the effects of those symptoms on occupational function.

 

 

JOHN Z. JONES

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	H. Ahmad

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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.