The Board has found that the veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, to include COPD and emphysema, due to tobacco use during service is well grounded. The evidence shows current diagnosis of a respiratory disorder including COPD and emphysema, and a nexus between the currently diagnosed conditions and tobacco use during active service.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence supports a finding that the veteran's respiratory disorders are related to his tobacco use during service.
- Claimed conditions
- respiratory disorder, COPD, emphysema
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 19, 2000
- Citation
- 0018919
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 0018919.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 COPD, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the Veteran's respiratory condition and his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions and a TDIU, as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these disabilities were related to the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's COPD precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantial gainful employment, warranting a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for emphysema and pulmonary hypertension, finding that the Veteran's emphysema was caused by active service, including participation in a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA), and that his pulmonary hypertension is secondary to his emphysema.
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