Citation Nr: 21007413 Decision Date: 02/09/21 Archive Date: 02/09/21 DOCKET NO. 18-43 815 DATE: February 9, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to a compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran had active service from December 1955 to January 1960. The Veteran testified before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge (VLJ) at a January 2021 Board Hearing held via videoconference. In his August 2018 VA Form 9 and at his January 2021 Board Hearing, the Veteran requested that the VA provide an additional examination to evaluate his hearing loss. At the January 2021 Board Hearing, the parties agreed that the Veteran should be provided an opportunity to report for a VA examination to ascertain the current severity and manifestations of his bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is reminded that he should fully cooperate with VA and the examiner in scheduling, attending, and conducting the VA examination in order to properly evaluate the severity of his hearing disability. Wood v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 190, 193 (1991) (“The duty to assist is not always a one-way street.”). Evidence indicates that there may be outstanding relevant VA treatment records. At his January 2021 Board Hearing, the Veteran reported that he has continued to receive VA treatment for the disability on appeal. Any VA treatment records are within VA’s constructive possession, and are considered potentially relevant to the issue on appeal. A remand is required to allow VA to obtain them. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Obtain the Veteran’s VAMC Houston treatment records for the period from April 2017 to the Present. 2. Schedule the Veteran for an examination by an appropriate clinician to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The examiner should provide a full description of the disability and report all signs and symptoms necessary for evaluating the Veteran’s disability under the rating criteria. If the results are unreliable, the examiner should explain why. MICHELLE L. KANE Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board Kerry Hubers 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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.