The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and a respiratory disorder caused by asbestos exposure have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a current disability in either case, and there was no clear and unmistakable evidence to support an aggravation of his preexisting conditions during service.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show the presence of a hearing impairment or respiratory disorder (asthma) meeting VA compensation standards. The Board also found that the Veteran's respiratory disorder existed prior to service, and there was no clear and unmistakable evidence showing it was aggravated by in-service asbestos exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, respiratory disorder (asthma)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 7, 2023
- Citation
- 23060052
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 23060052.
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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