The Veteran's hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.,The Veteran has been diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm, COPD, emphysema, hypertension, and a stroke. The VA examiner found these conditions less likely than not related to his in-service toxic exposure risk activities (TERA).,The Board finds the VA examination opinions inadequate due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's potential exposures during active-duty service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner failed to provide adequate details regarding the Veteran's exposures during active-duty service, which is necessary for a proper determination of whether his current conditions are related to his in-service toxic exposure risk activities (TERA).
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Aortic Aneurysm, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Emphysema, Hypertension, Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) (claimed as Stroke)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 30, 2026
- Citation
- A26040538
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 A26040538.
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 Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
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