Citation Nr: 21076981
Decision Date: 12/28/21	Archive Date: 12/28/21

DOCKET NO. 17-67 334
DATE: December 28, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from September 2000 to September 2004.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a June 2016 rating decision from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).  In August 2021, the Veteran testified at a Board hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge. 

1. Entitlement to a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss is remanded.

At his August 2021 Board hearing, the Veteran testified credibly that his right ear hearing acuity had worsened since his last VA audiological examination in September 2017.  See August 2021 Hearing Transcript.

Specifically, the Veteran testified that during a prior holiday season, possibly in December 2018, he underwent an audiological assessment for hearing aids at the VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Decatur, Georgia.  He testified that the audiologist advised him that his hearing acuity had worsened significantly since 2017. 

A review of the record confirms that in December 2019, the Veteran underwent an audiological assessment for hearing aids at the Atlanta VAMC.  Although the examiner noted that the Veteran's hearing acuity was "consistent with 2017 exam," the actual audiometric findings are not of record.  This must be corrected on remand.  In addition, in light of the Veteran's testimony of worsening, a new exam is needed.   

The matters is REMANDED for the following action:

1. Undertake the necessary efforts to associate the results of the December 2019 audiometric testing at the Atlanta VAMC with the record on appeal.   

2. Schedule the Veteran for a VA audiological examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected right ear hearing loss disability.   

 

 

K. Conner

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.