The Board denied service connection for constipation due to Gulf War exposure, but granted service connection for hair loss (alopecia). The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for sinus infection and respiratory condition.,The Veteran's claims for shortness of breath were not fully addressed in the decision.
The deciding factor: The constipation claim was denied as there is no objective evidence linking it to Gulf War exposure. The hair loss claim was granted based on its onset during service, but the Board requested an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the respiratory condition.,The remand instructions require a VA examiner to address whether sinus infection or rhinitis are related to ammunition dump and oil well fires, and whether shortness of breath is related to Gulf War service.
- Claimed conditions
- constipation, hair loss (alopecia), sinus infection/rhinitis, respiratory condition (asthma, COPD, shortness of breath)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 20, 2018
- Citation
- 18151884
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 18151884.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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 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).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the Veteran's respiratory condition and his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions and a TDIU, as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these disabilities were related to the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's COPD precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantial gainful employment, warranting a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).
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