The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, respiratory disorder (COPD), hypertension, heart disorder, bilateral hearing loss, right eye disability, right leg disability, and bilateral foot disability. The Board found that there is no current diagnosis of these conditions and/or insufficient evidence to establish a link between them and service.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not find any current diagnoses for the claimed disabilities and the medical opinions concluded that the Veteran's respiratory disorder (COPD) was not related to asbestos exposure, while his other conditions were not shown to be directly related to service or due to asbestos exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, respiratory disorder (COPD), hypertension, heart disorder, bilateral hearing loss, right eye disability, right leg disability, bilateral foot disability
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 30, 2017
- Citation
- 1754988
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 1754988.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- 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.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.