BVA9506117 
DOCKET NO.  93-10 177     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in
Montgomery, Alabama

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to service connection for defective hearing.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active duty from July 1965 to July 1967.

This matter comes to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on
appeal from a January 1993 decision of the RO.

REMAND

The veteran contends that he experienced ear problems and was
exposed to excessive noise levels during service and that his
current hearing problems are related to these problems in
service.  He feels that he should be afforded a hearing
examination by VA in order to evaluate his problem.  The Board
notes in this regard that records referable to his service
discharge examination indicate that he had a "high frequency
hearing loss, (L) mild. LODYES."  This entry raises a plausible
claim in the Board's opinion and requires that development be
undertaken prior to further appellate review.

To ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has met
its duty to assist the claimant in developing the facts pertinent
to the claim and to ensure full compliance with due process
requirements, the case is REMANDED to the regional office (RO)
for the following development:

1.  The RO should take appropriate steps to
obtain from the veteran the names and
addresses of any medical care providers who
might have treated him for his hearing
problems since service.  After securing any
necessary releases, the RO should obtain
copies of records from the identified
sources and incorporate them into the
record.

2.  The veteran should be afforded a VA ear
examination to determine the nature and
likely etiology of any current hearing
disability.  Complete audiometric testing
should be done in this regard.  The claims
folder should be made available to the
examiner for review before the examination.
The examiner should elicit from the veteran
and record a complete clinical history,
including a statement regarding the degree
of acoustic trauma exposure in service and
thereafter.  Based on his evaluation and
review of the record, including the
findings recorded in connection with the
service discharge examination, the examiner
should offer an opinion as to the medical
probability that any current hearing
disability is the result of exposure to
acoustic trauma or other injury or disease
process in service, as claimed by the
veteran.

3.  After the development requested above
has been completed to the extent possible,
the RO should again review the veteran's
claim.  If any benefit sought on appeal
remains denied, the appellant and
representative should be furnished a
supplemental statement of the case and
given the opportunity to respond thereto.

Thereafter, the case should be returned to the Board, if in
order.  The Board intimates no opinion as to the ultimate outcome
of this case.  The appellant need take no action unless otherwise
notified.

          STEPHEN L. WILKINS
          Member, Board of Veterans' Appeals

The Board of Veterans' Appeals Administrative Procedures
Improvement Act, Pub. L. No. 103-271, § 6, 108 Stat. 740, ___
(1994), permits a proceeding instituted before the Board to be
assigned to an individual member of the Board for a
determination.  This proceeding has been assigned to an
individual member of the Board.

Under 38 U.S.C.A. § 7252 (West 1991), only a decision of the
Board of Veterans' Appeals is appealable to the United States
Court of Veterans Appeals.  This remand is in the nature of a
preliminary order and does not constitute a decision of the Board
on the merits of your appeal.  38 C.F.R. § 20.1100(b) (1993).