Asbestosis decisions — 2001

The veteran withdrew their appeal before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has granted service connection for postoperative residuals of asbestosis and denied service connection for tingling in the hands and feet. The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at zero percent, but he is awarded a separate 10 percent rating for tinnitus.

The veteran's asbestosis is found to be the result of exposure during service, and thus granted service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and a 100% disability rating for asbestosis, finding that the earliest effective date authorized by law is January 9, 1998.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected asbestosis does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation based on pulmonary function test results.

The VA has granted service connection for pleural plaques, claimed as asbestosis, but the evaluation remains noncompensable.

The veteran's claim for service connection for lung cancer, asbestosis, and emphysema due to exposure to asbestos while in the military is remanded. The RO should consider whether new evidence has reopened his claims and then decide on the merits of those reopened claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination to determine if the veteran's current respiratory disorders are related to his service or asbestos exposure.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his asbestosis, right parietal pleura disability, currently rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's appeal is dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of asbestos exposure, finding no current disability and insufficient evidence to support a claim.