The appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and recurrent tinnitus is dismissed. Service connection for Hodgkin's lymphoma is granted, but the heart disorder issue remains unresolved.
The deciding factor: The Veteran served at Camp Lejeune, which was exposed to contaminated water. The private clinician provided an opinion that the Veteran's Hodgkin's lymphoma was more likely than not related to his in-service exposure to contaminated water. However, the heart disorder issue requires further development as it may be secondary to the service-connected Hodgkin's lymphoma.
- Claimed conditions
- Hodgkin's lymphoma, heart disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 28, 2024
- Citation
- 24013132
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 24013132.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and authorization for private treatment providers. The issues include heart disorder, OSA, sinusitis, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder all related to Agent Orange exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder, to include ischemic heart disease (IHD), finding that there was not sufficient evidence to establish a link between his current condition and his military service. The Board noted that the Veteran did not have active military service from January 9, 1962, to July 31, 1980, and that he was not exposed to herbicide agents during his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's shortness of breath and Hodgkin's lymphoma are granted service connection, but his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and acquired psychiatric disorder are denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left hip disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, heart disorder, insomnia, sexual arousal disorder, gynecological disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, and HTN. The evidence did not support a current diagnosis of these conditions or their relationship to military service.
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