Citation Nr: 21072176 Decision Date: 12/02/21 Archive Date: 12/02/21 DOCKET NO. 16-62 267 DATE: December 2, 2021 REMANDED Service connection for a bilateral elbow disability is remanded. Service connection for hypertension is remanded. Service connection for a respiratory disorder, to include asthma, chronic bronchitis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is remanded. Service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease (a right knee disability) is remanded. Service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease (a left knee disability) is remanded. A compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from November 1971 to April 1972, December 1996 to April 1997, from January 1999 to June 1999, and from July 1999 to December 2001. Left knee Right knee Bilateral elbow Respiratory disorder Hypertension Bilateral hearing loss Generally, under 38 C.F.R. § 3.655(a), when entitlement to a benefit cannot be established without a current VA examination or reexamination and a claimant, without good cause, fails to report for such examination or reexamination, action shall be taken in accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 3.655(b). 38 C.F.R. § 3.655(b) applies to original or reopened claims or claims for increase. Examples of good cause include, but are not limited to, the illness or hospitalization of the claimant, and death of an immediate family member. 38 C.F.R. § 3.655 (a). Section 3.655(b) provides, when a claimant fails to report for an examination scheduled in conjunction with a claim for increase or a reopened claim for a benefit which was previously disallowed, the claim shall be denied. In October 2000, the Board remanded these matters for further development, including scheduling examinations for the Veteran's claims. However, due to COVID-19 concerns, the Veteran cancelled his examinations and was told to reschedule. See July 2021 letter from Veteran. The Board finds that the Veteran had good cause to cancel his scheduled VA examinations and that new examinations are warranted. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Schedule the Veteran for an examination by an appropriate clinician to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed disability of either of his knees or elbows, a respiratory disorder, or any diagnosed hypertension. The claims file should be made available to the examiner for review. The examiner must opine whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability) that any diagnosed disability of the Veteran's knees, elbows, respiratory disorder, or hypertension was incurred in, or due to, the Veteran's service. The Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptomology should be recorded and considered. A rationale for all opinions must be provided. 2. Schedule a VA examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability. The results of audiological testing must include, in numeric decibels, the puretone thresholds at 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hertz and must provide the speech recognition scores using the Maryland CNC test. The audiologist must also describe the effect of the Veteran's hearing loss on his occupational functioning and daily activities. JOHN Z. JONES Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board A. Parrish, 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.