Citation Nr: 21071972
Decision Date: 12/01/21	Archive Date: 12/01/21

DOCKET NO. 18-34 126A
DATE: December 1, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, rated as noncompensable, is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from October 1970 to May 1972.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a March 2017 rating decision by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).

In October 2021, the Veteran testified before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge via videoconference. A transcript of the hearing is of record.

During the hearing, the Veteran testified that his hearing has worsened since his last examination in March 2017. Accordingly, the Board finds a current VA examination is required to assess the severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The matter is REMANDED for the following action:

1. Obtain updated VA treatment records.

2. Afford the Veteran a VA examination with an appropriate medical professional to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The electronic claims file, including a copy of this remand, must be made available to the examiner for review prior to the examination. Any indicated evaluations, studies, and tests should be conducted.

The examiner should also comment upon the functional impairment resulting from the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

A rationale for any opinion offered should be provided.

 

 

L. M. BARNARD

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	A.Z., 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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.