Citation Nr: 21021525
Decision Date: 04/13/21	Archive Date: 04/13/21

DOCKET NO. 16-54 456
DATE: April 13, 2021

REMANDED

Service connection for hearing loss is remanded.

Service connection for tinnitus is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from June 1968 to June 1970.  He then was a member of the National Guard from approximately 1971 to 1993.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a June 2015 rating decision.  In February 2021, the Veteran had a hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge.

The Board finds that the matter must be remanded for an adequate medical opinion. In the June 2015 medical opinion, the examiner concluded that the Veteran’s hearing loss was not related to service because his entrance and separation audiograms were normal. The examiner must consider whether the Veteran’s present hearing loss is related to service even if it began after active duty service. As the opinion for the Veteran’s tinnitus claim relied on the same rationale, the tinnitus claim must also be remanded. 

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

Forward the claims file to a VA examiner for an opinion. After a review of the claims file, the examiner should respond to the following:	

(a.) Because the Veteran’s entrance and separation audiograms were conducted between January 1967 and December 1970 and do not indicate which standard was used, the results must be analyzed as under both ASA and ISO-ANSI standards. 

1.	If the right ear entrance examination was performed under the ASA standard, the results after conversion to the ISO-ANSI standard are as follows:15 (500); 10 (1000); 10 (2000); 10 (3000); 5 (4000).

2.	If the left ear entrance examination was performed under the ASA standard, the results after conversion to the ISO-ANSI standard are as follows: 15 (500); 10 (1000); 10 (2000); 10 (3000); 5 (4000).

3.	If the right ear separation examination was performed under the ASA standard, the results after conversion to the ISO-ANSI standard are as follows: 20 (500); 15 (1000); 15 (2000); 20 (3000); 20 (4000).

4.	If the left ear separation examination was performed under the ASA standard, the results after conversion to the ISO-ANSI standard are as follows, are as follows: 25 (500); 20 (1000); 20 (2000); 25 (3000); 20 (4000).

(b.) Is it at least as likely as not that the Veteran’s right and/or left ear hearing loss began in service or is otherwise related to service? 

1.	In forming this conclusion, the examiner must consider whether the Veteran’s hearing loss is related to service even if it began after service.  

2.	The examiner should consider the following evidence: the April 1968 entrance results (under both standards); the June 1970 separation results (under both standards); the October 1985 examination results; the March 1990 examination results; and the Veteran’s testimony about his noise exposure during and after service. 

(c.) Is it at least as likely as not that the Veteran’s tinnitus began in or is otherwise related to service?

 

 

MICHELLE L. KANE

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

Attorney for the Board	M. Lavan

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.