The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, COPD, a psychiatric disability, and hepatitis C. The claim for reopening of the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral ankle disabilities is also denied.
The deciding factor: The VA audiological test results did not meet the criteria for a hearing loss disability for VA purposes, thus denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss. For COPD, secondary to asbestos exposure, there was no evidence linking the condition to military service or asbestos exposure. The psychiatric disability claim lacks sufficient medical evidence to establish a current diagnosis and link to service. Hepatitis C is not supported by adequate medical records showing active disease during service or post-service. The claim for reopening of the veteran's ankle disabilities claim has insufficient new and material evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), psychiatric disability, hepatitis C
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 15, 2004
- Citation
- 0406649
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0406649.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a respiratory disability to obtain an adequate VA examination and additional evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, as the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection.
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