The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of asbestosis and his respiratory conditions, including chronic bronchitis and COPD, were not present during service or for many years thereafter. The record evidence did not show they related to military service, including asbestos exposure. Bilateral hearing loss was also not shown in service or for many years thereafter, and the most probative evidence failed to link it to service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's respiratory conditions were not present during service or for a long time after service, and there is no evidence linking them to military service, including asbestos exposure. Similarly, his bilateral hearing loss was not shown in service or for many years thereafter, and the most probative evidence failed to link it to service.
- Claimed conditions
- respiratory condition, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 20, 2015
- Citation
- 1530929
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 1530929.
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's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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