Citation Nr: 21066019 Decision Date: 10/28/21 Archive Date: 10/28/21 DOCKET NO. 14-35 077 DATE: October 28, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to a compensable rating for otitis media with bilateral hearing loss is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty with the United States Army from September 1967 to September 1970. This matter is before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a September 2012 decision of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The Veteran testified before the Board at a hearing held by the undersigned in June 2018. A transcript of the hearing is of record. Subsequently, the Board remanded the case in July 2018 and October 2020 for additional development. Entitlement to a compensable rating for otitis media with bilateral hearing loss is remanded. The Veteran most recently underwent a VA examination to assess his service-connected otitis media with bilateral hearing loss in April 2019. A review of the record illustrates that at a March 2021 VA examination for an evaluation of his acquired psychiatric disorder, the Veteran "indicated that the ringing in his ears has 'constantly been getting worse.'" The Veteran's reports of worsening ringing in his ears are evidence of a potential worsening of the Veteran's bilateral ear condition since the April 2019 VA examination. Therefore, given the evidence of worsening of the Veteran's otitis media with bilateral hearing loss disability since the April 2019 VA examination and the need for more current findings necessary to rate his otitis media with bilateral hearing loss disability, a new examination is needed. 38 C.F.R. § 3.327(a) (2021); Palczewski v. Nicholson, 21 Vet. App. 174, 182 (2007). In addition, private audiometric tests from July 2020 and February 2021 were added to the claims file in March 2021. The testing contains the report of the pure tone audiometric thresholds; however, it is unclear what type of speech discrimination testing was completed at the July 2020 and February 2021 private audiometric consultations. Thus, a remand is required to obtain clarification as whether the Maryland CNC word list was used for the speech discrimination testing. The matter is REMANDED for the following action: 1. Seek clarification regarding the type of speech discrimination testing (i.e., Maryland CNC word list) performed at the July 2, 2020 and February 2, 2021 private audiometric consultations. If it is not possible to determine the type of speech discrimination testing performed, clearly document the claims file to that effect and notify the Veteran of any inability to make that determination, in accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(e). 2. Obtain any outstanding VA treatment records that are not already of record. Contact the Veteran and afford him the opportunity to identify or submit any pertinent evidence in support of his claims, to include records of any private treatment. Based on his response, attempt to procure copies of all records which have not been obtained from identified treatment sources. If any of the records requested are unavailable, clearly document the claims file to that effect and notify the Veteran of any inability to obtain these records, in accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(e). 3. After completing the development requested above, schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination to evaluate the severity of the Veteran's otitis media with bilateral hearing loss. The entire claims file should be made available to the examiner in conjunction with this request. All testing deemed necessary to rate otitis media with hearing loss under the criteria of the rating schedule must be conducted and the results reported in detail. M. SORISIO Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board N. Breitbach, 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.