Citation Nr: 21008497 Decision Date: 02/17/21 Archive Date: 02/17/21 DOCKET NO. 18-31 183 DATE: February 17, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from September 1962 to June 1966. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a March 2015 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). In January 2020, the Veteran testified at a Travel Board hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge (VLJ). A transcript of that hearing has been associated with the claims folder. Service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability The Veteran contends that he has a bilateral hearing loss disability that is related to service, in particular as due to noise exposure from performing his duties as a pavement maintenance specialist which involved using noisy equipment as well as from noise exposure from aircraft. See, e.g., the January 2020 Board hearing transcript, pgs. 4-5. The Veteran was provided a VA audiological examination in April 2018. After examination of the Veteran, the VA examiner noted a bilateral hearing loss disability for VA evaluation purposes and concluded that it is not at least as likely as not that the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss disability was caused by or a result of service. Pertinently, the only rationale provided by the VA examiner was their finding that hearing threshholds at the Veteran’s separation from service was unchanged from the Veteran’s enlistment examination and the Veteran’s hearing was normal at the time of separation. However, the Board notes that service connection for hearing loss is not precluded where hearing was within normal limits on audiometric testing at separation from service. See Hensley v. Brown, 5 Vet. App. 155, 160 (1993). Moreover, the VA examiner did not consider the Veteran’s report of a continuity of hearing loss symptomatology following separation from service as well as the Veteran’s report that he did not incur any postservice occupational noise exposure. See the January 2020 Board hearing transcript, pgs. 7-9. In light of the foregoing, the Board finds that an addendum opinion should be obtained on remand as to the etiology of the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss disability. The matter is REMANDED for the following action: 1. Refer the Veteran’s claims folder to an appropriate medical professional to determine the etiology of the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss disability. The claims file must be made available to the examiner for review. If the examiner determines that an opinion cannot be rendered without examination of the Veteran, then an examination should be scheduled. Based on the review of the Veteran’s medical history, the examiner should respond to whether it is at least as likely as not (i.e., a probability of 50 percent or greater) that the Veteran’s current bilateral hearing loss disability was incurred in or aggravated by his service, to include his exposure to noise from performing his duties as a pavement maintenance specialist which involved the use of noisy equipment as well as from noise exposure from aircraft. In rendering the requested opinion, the examiner should address the Veteran’s report of a continuity of hearing loss symptomatology following separation from service and the absence of postservice occupational noise exposure. A rationale should be provided. 2. Review the claims file to ensure that the foregoing requested development is completed, and arrange for any additional development indicated. If the benefit sought remains denied, issue an appropriate supplemental statement of the case to the Veteran and his representative. H. N. SCHWARTZ Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board Arif Syed, 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.