The Veteran's hearing loss and lung disease (asbestosis with COPD) are being remanded for further evaluation. The service connection for both conditions is not currently established, and the issue of exposure to aircraft fumes causing his lung condition needs clarification.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not address whether the Veteran’s current lung condition is connected to service due to lack of symptomatology during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Hearing loss, Asbestosis with COPD
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 27, 2018
- Citation
- 18153289
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 18153289.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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 hearing loss, a left elbow disability (claimed as osteoarthritis), and a higher rating for lumbosacral strain.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial increased rating for hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a compensable rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for hearing loss, psychiatric disorder, neck disorder, and radiculopathy of both upper and lower extremities to correct duty-to-assist errors.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for a chronic ear infection.
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