The Board granted service connection for rhinitis and disability manifested by shortness of breath, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and Vitamin D deficiency. The Board also granted an initial 20 percent rating for thoracolumbar spine strain.

The deciding factor: Service connection was granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure to fine particulate matter during the Persian Gulf War, and the criteria were met based on the evidence of record.

Claimed conditions

rhinitis (claimed as sinusitis), disability manifested by shortness of breath, bilateral hearing loss disability, Vitamin D deficiency

How they argued it

Presumptive (no nexus needed)

Exposure basis

Gulf War

Rating assigned

20%

Decision date

October 22, 2025

Citation

A25091293

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine