The veteran's unauthorized private medical expenses from January 9, 1998 to January 18, 1998 are denied as the care was not for a service-connected disability and VA facilities were available.
The deciding factor: VA facilities were available prior to the date of the unauthorized care and the veteran did not attempt to use them.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Pneumonia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 26, 2000
- Citation
- 0014040
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 0014040.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case to obtain an adequate opinion regarding the Veteran's cause of death, specifically addressing toxic exposures during service and submitted medical literature.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, as none of the listed causes were related to his period of active duty or presumed exposure to herbicides.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including thoracolumbar spine disability, bilateral knee and hip disabilities, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, COPD, and denied an initial rating higher than 50 percent for MDD with GAD.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, finding no current disability and insufficient evidence of an in-service event or exposure.
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.