The Board found that the Veteran does not have current hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes, and his tinnitus is not etiologically related to service. The claims for shortness of breath and depression were also denied as there was no evidence of in-service asbestos exposure or psychiatric injury.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing impairment did not meet the criteria for a current disability under VA regulations, and his tinnitus was not linked to service due to lack of noise exposure. The claims for shortness of breath and depression were denied as there was no evidence of in-service asbestos exposure or psychiatric injury.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Shortness of Breath (claimed due to in-service asbestos exposure), Depression
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 7, 2013
- Citation
- 1325017
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 1325017.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient findings regarding PTSD and depression, requiring a new VA examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
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