Citation Nr: 21021322
Decision Date: 04/12/21	Archive Date: 04/12/21

DOCKET NO. 18-26 512
DATE: April 12, 2021

REMANDED

The appeal for an increased initial rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from May 1967 to May 1969. This matter is before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a May 2015 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ). 

A March 2021 Board hearing was conducted before the undersigned; a copy of the transcript has been associated with the claims file. 

1. The appeal for an increased initial rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

Records indicate that the Veteran attended a January 2021 VA audiology examination and that it indicated that his hearing has worsened. The VA examination record did not include the Puretone threshold results and the Board is unable to render a complete decision in this case without those results. Therefore, a remand is required in order to obtain the result readings or obtain a new VA examination. 

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

1. Please note that this Veteran’s case has been advanced on the docket and, by law, ALL remanded claims must be processed expeditiously.

2. Obtain the January 2021 VA audiology Puretone threshold results and associate the complete examination with the record. 

3. If the complete January 2021 VA audiology examination is unavailable, then the AOJ should arrange for a VA audiological evaluation (with audiometric studies) to determine the current severity of the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss disability. In addition to reporting audiometry results, the examiner should elicit from the Veteran information as to the effect his hearing loss has on his daily living, and comment on the expected impact the degree of hearing loss found would have on occupational and social functioning (i.e., provide an opinion as to whether the Veteran’s reports of functional impairment are consistent with his level of hearing loss shown).

 

 

VICTORIA MOSHIASHWILI

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.