Citation Nr: 21069962
Decision Date: 11/22/21	Archive Date: 11/22/21

DOCKET NO. 19-15 522
DATE: November 22, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from July 1966 to July 1968.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from an October 2016 rating decision of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regional office.

Although the Board regrets the additional delay, a remand is necessary to ensure there is a complete record on which to decide the Veteran's claim.

The Veteran contends that his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is more severe than reflected by the assigned noncompensable rating. See May 24, 2019 Correspondence.

The Veteran last underwent VA examination in connection with this claim in February 2011. Since that time, the Veteran submitted an unsigned private audiogram, dated January 2018, which appeared to show that his hearing loss had increased in severity. See May 24, 2019 Medical Treatment Record Non-Government Facility. However, an examination for hearing impairment for VA purposes must be conducted by a state-licensed audiologist and must include a controlled speech discrimination test (Maryland CNC) and a puretone audiometry test.  38 C.F.R. § 4.85(a). Upon review, the January 2018 audiogram did not include a Maryland CNC test and is therefore inadequate for VA rating purposes.

Evidence of worsening since a previous examination will trigger a remand for a current exam in an increased rating claim. See Snuffer v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 400, 403 (1997).  Considering evidence suggesting that the Veteran's disability may have worsened since his last VA examination, a remand is necessary to afford the Veteran a new VA examination to determine the current level of severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The matter is REMANDED for the following action:

1. Obtain all relevant outstanding VA treatment records and associate them with the Veteran's claims file.

2. Schedule the Veteran for a VA audiological examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.  The claims file should be made available to and reviewed by the examiner.

 

 

J. B. FREEMAN

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	C.L. Hamilton, 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.