The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD is denied as the weight of evidence does not support a finding that his current condition resulted from in-service asbestos exposure.,The Veteran's claim for increased rating for bilateral hearing loss remains pending, with the highest possible rating (50%) granted effective June 30, 2022.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for crush injury to the right fifth digit is denied as there is no showing of an exceptional disability picture or arthritis that would warrant a higher rating under other diagnostic codes.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction remains pending, with remand required due to insufficient evidence addressing his contention of herbicide agent exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for cerebrovascular accident (CVA) remains pending, with remand required due to insufficient evidence addressing his contention of herbicide agent exposure.
The deciding factor: The weight of the evidence is against a finding that COPD resulted from in-service asbestos exposure.,There has been substantial compliance with the October 2021 remand directives for bilateral hearing loss, and no higher rating can be assigned at this time.,The Veteran's crush injury does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating due to lack of functional impairment beyond what is contemplated by the current noncompensable rating.,There is insufficient evidence addressing whether the Veteran's erectile dysfunction resulted from herbicide agent exposure, and remand is required to obtain a VA examination that directly addresses this issue.,The Veteran's CVA remains pending as there is insufficient evidence addressing whether it was caused by herbicide agent exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD), Erectile Dysfunction, Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 15, 2024
- Citation
- 24012190
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 24012190.
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.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for erectile dysfunction due to insufficient medical evidence and a need for a VA examination.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Bilateral Lower Extremity Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (Sciatic Nerve), Erectile Dysfunction, and Bladder Cancer in remission. Effective dates have been set for these awards as of July 14, 2004. The Veteran's claim for higher initial disability ratings and earlier effective dates are being remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is found to have had its onset during service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.
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.