Citation Nr: 21066228
Decision Date: 10/29/21	Archive Date: 10/29/21

DOCKET NO. 16-54 456
DATE: October 29, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

Entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from June 1968 to June 1970. He then was a member of the National Guard from approximately 1971 to 1993.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a June 2015 rating decision. In February 2021, the Veteran had a hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge.

The Board remanded this matter in April 2021 for addendum medical opinions. The Board finds that the opinions obtained in April 2021 are adequate; however, another remand remains necessary. 

In July 2021, the Veteran asserted that he underwent an audiological examination in July 2021, the records can be obtained through Birmingham VAMC Annex, and the records are relevant to his service connection claims. Accordingly, a remand is necessary to obtain these records.

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

1. Obtain the Veteran's July 2021 audiological records from Birmingham VAMC, to include any test results that are stored in VISTA imaging. 

2. If, and only if, the obtained records contain new information relevant to nexus, obtain a new medical opinion for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus claims from the April 2021 VA examiner or another examiner if she is unavailable. 

 

 

MICHELLE L. KANE

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	M. Lavan

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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.