Citation Nr: 21039882 Decision Date: 07/01/21 Archive Date: 07/01/21 DOCKET NO. 18-20 715 DATE: July 1, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from July 1959 to July 1961. The matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a December 2017 rating decision by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). In May 2021, the Veteran testified at a hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge. A copy of the proceeding is associated with the electronic claims file. 1. Entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded. VA examination dated December 2017 was significant for a diagnosis of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The Board finds the VA opinion contained in this examination report inadequate, however, for failing to provide a well-articulated rationale for the opinion that the Board, in turn, can utilize in making a fully informed decision. See Barr v. Nicholson, 21 Vet. App. 303, 30711 (2007); Prejean v. West, 13 Vet. App. 444, 44849 (2000). The examiner stated the Veteran had a low probability for noise exposure, he now reports an incident of unprotected exposure to gunfire, but there is no record of this event, nor symptoms following the event in his claims file. Giving the foregoing, remand is necessary to obtain a new VA examination and medical opinion. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Obtain and associate with the claims file any outstanding evaluation or treatment records (whether VA and/or private) concerning the bilateral hearing loss being claimed. Specifically, at the May 2021 hearing the Veteran testified that he has had several audiological tests done by the VA. Document all efforts to obtain any outstanding records relevant to these claims and appropriately notify the Veteran if unable to obtain records identified. 2. Thereafter, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination with an appropriate medical professional to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion regarding the likelihood that any current hearing loss, if diagnosed, is related to noise exposure during service. The examiner is asked to elicit from the Veteran a detailed history of his symptoms in and since service. Following a review of the claims file, the examiner is asked to opine as to whether it is at least as likely as not (a 50 percent or greater probability) that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is etiologically related to service. A complete rationale must be provided for all opinions provided. If an opinion cannot be offered without resort to mere speculation, the examiner must indicate why this is the case and what additional evidence, if any, would allow for a more definitive opinion. Nathaniel J. Doan Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board S. Ottley III 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.