The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for September 19, 1998 and September 20, 1998 were not reimbursed due to the absence of a medical emergency. However, his hospitalization from September 24, 1998 through September 28, 1998 was deemed necessary and VA facilities were feasibly available.
The deciding factor: The Board found that while the veteran's condition on September 24, 1998 did not constitute an emergency requiring immediate hospitalization via the emergency room, it did require inpatient care due to his poor health status. The VA facilities were deemed feasible and reasonable for providing such care.
- Claimed conditions
- Pneumonia, Congestive Heart Failure, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 19, 2000
- Citation
- 0013234
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 0013234.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for asbestosis, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was also denied a compensable rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for additional development, including obtaining a new examination and further developing evidence related to toxic exposure during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as a pre-decisional duty to assist error was found regarding the Veteran's COPD, and he needs an appropriate VA examination.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for COPD as secondary to diabetes and denied increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy conditions, while dismissing claims related to upper extremity neuropathy.
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