Citation Nr: 21029110
Decision Date: 05/12/21	Archive Date: 05/12/21

DOCKET NO. 17-14 793
DATE: May 12, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to an initial compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran had active military service from May 1965 to November 1968.

Entitlement to an initial compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

In the Veteran's March 2019 Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ), conducted more than two years prior, he demonstrated speech recognition scores of 88 percent in the right ear and 78 percent in the left ear.  Current VA guidelines direct that, when speech recognition is 92 percent or less in a given ear, a modified performance intensity function should be obtained and such is indicated in the Instructions in Section 1 of the DBQ report.  See VA Handbook of Standard Procedures and Best Practices for Audiology Compensation and Pension Examinations, sec. B, pt. 2, Table 7 (K.C. Dennis ed., 2004) (providing detailed procedures for obtaining a modified performance-intensity function); Revised Audio AMIE Worksheet, Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) Fast Letter 10-06 (Dep't of Veterans Affairs, February 17, 2010).  

While the March 2019 DBQ report contains additional information, specifically, testing results, such does not appear to contain a modified performance intensity function.  On remand, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) should schedule the Veteran for an adequate VA audiological examination that includes a modified performance intensity function if appropriate.

It appears that the most recent VA treatment records available for Board review are dated in July 2019; on remand, the RO should obtain the Veteran's updated VA treatment records.

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

1. Obtain the Veteran's VA treatment records for the period from July 2019 to the present.

2. Then, schedule the Veteran for a VA audiological examination by an appropriate clinician to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. 

(a) 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.  To the extent possible, the examiner should identify any symptoms and functional impairments due to bilateral hearing loss alone and discuss the effect of such on any occupational functioning and activities of daily living.

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(b) The examiner should obtain a modified performance intensity function if the Veteran's speech recognition scores are 92 percent or less. 

 

 

P.M. DILORENZO

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	Department of Veterans Affairs

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.