Citation Nr: 22018473
Decision Date: 03/29/22	Archive Date: 03/29/22

DOCKET NO. 18-29 525
DATE:  March 29, 2022

REMANDED

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

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran had active air service from August 1965 to January 1969.

This case comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a February 2016 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).

The Veteran testified at a hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge of the Board in January 2022. A transcript of the hearing has been associated with the claims file.

The Veteran was most recently afforded an examination for bilateral hearing loss in October 2018. At his January 2022 hearing, the Veteran indicated that his symptoms had worsened since that VA examination. As such, the Veteran should be afforded an additional examination to determine the current level of severity of all impairment resulting from his bilateral hearing loss disability.

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

1. Identify and obtain any pertinent, outstanding VA and private treatment records and associate them with the claims file.

2. Then, schedule the Veteran for an audiology evaluation by an examiner with sufficient expertise to determine the current level of severity of all impairment resulting from his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability. The claims file must be made available to, and reviewed by the examiner. All indicated tests and studies must be performed. The examiner must provide all information required for rating purposes.

3. Then, readjudicate the appeal. If the decision is adverse to the Veteran, issue a supplemental statement of the case and allow appropriate time for response. Then, return the case to the Board.

 

 

Kristin Haddock

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.