The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD is denied as the evidence does not support a link between his current condition and in-service asbestos exposure.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there was no increase in severity during service. The Veteran had pre-existing hearing loss at entry into service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for DM II (diabetes mellitus type 2) due to herbicide agent exposure is remanded as VA needs to verify his reported exposure.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence of a link between the Veteran’s COPD and in-service asbestos exposure.,The Veteran's pre-existing hearing loss did not worsen during service, so it cannot be considered aggravated by service.,VA needs to verify whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents while serving on the USS Denver.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM II)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 10, 2020
- Citation
- 20002271
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 withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- 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).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including GERD, chronic kidney disease, COPD, a heart condition, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea, as additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's exposure to toxic chemical agents during his service.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted, while fibromyalgia, internal or external hemorrhoids, bilateral hearing loss, and neuropathy are denied.
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