Citation Nr: 22014355 Decision Date: 03/12/22 Archive Date: 03/12/22 DOCKET NO. 17-57 590 DATE: March 12, 2022 REMANDED Entitlement to a rating in excess of 50 percent, outside a period of convalescence from April 18, 2016, to May 31, 2016, for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded. Entitlement to a compensable rating prior to May 22, 2017, and a rating in excess of 20 from May 23, 2017, for bilateral hearing loss is remanded. Entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability as a result of service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran had active service from July 1972 to June 1992. This case is before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a June 2015 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) rating decision. In connection with this appeal, the Veteran testified at a hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge in September 2021. A transcript of the hearing is of record In March 2020, the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) granted service connection for diabetes with erectile dysfunction and granted special monthly compensation for loss of a creative organ. This represents a complete grant of his appeal in regard to his service connection claim for erectile dysfunction. See Grantham v. Brown, 114 F.3d 1156 (Fed. Cir. 1997). This issue is no longer before the Board. Regarding the Veteran's increased rating claim for PTSD, he was last afforded a VA examination in May 2017. At the September 2021 Board hearing, he testified that his PTSD had worsened. He testified that he had to leave his employment due to stress. He testified that he had homicidal ideation while at work. As such, a new examination is required to evaluate the current severity of the Veteran's PTSD. Regarding the Veteran's increased rating claim for bilateral hearing loss, he was last afforded a VA examination in May 2017. At the September 2021 Board hearing, he testified that his hearing loss had worsened. He testified that he had difficulty understanding words. As such, a new examination is required to evaluate the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU rating is inextricably intertwined with the adjudication of the other remanded issues, and it too will be remanded. Finally, VA has added medical evidence into the record since the statement of the case (SOC) dated in October 2017. All of this evidence is relevant and probative to the issues on appeal. The claims must therefore be readjudicated in a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC). 38 C.F.R. §§ 19.31, 20.1304(c). The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. With any necessary identification of sources by the Veteran, obtain all outstanding VA and private medical records that pertain to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. 2. Then, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected PTSD. The examiner should request that the Veteran provide information about any worsening of his PTSD symptoms and elicit from the Veteran which symptoms had worsened with the approximate date of the worsening 3. Schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. 4. Adjudicate the issue of entitlement to a TDIU rating. 5. After the completion of any action deemed appropriate, the Veteran's increased rating claims for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss and his claim for a TDIU should be readjudicated with consideration of all relevant evidence received since the issuance of the SOC in October 2017. If the benefits sought remain denied, the Veteran should be provided a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) and given the opportunity to respond. VICTORIA MOSHIASHWILI Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board T. Berryman, 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.