The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for lung disability and peripheral vascular disease due to tobacco use are not well-grounded, as there is no medical evidence showing a diagnosis of nicotine dependence in service or thereafter, nor linking either condition to his use of tobacco during service.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the lack of medical evidence supporting the veteran's claims for nicotine dependence and a link between his tobacco use in service and his current disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- lung disability, peripheral vascular disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 20, 2000
- Citation
- 0019036
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 0019036.
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 Veteran's peripheral vascular disease is being remanded due to a duty to assist error, and an addendum opinion is needed to determine if the condition is related to service or his service-connected CAD.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II (DM) and coronary artery disease (CAD), finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his active duty at Fort McClellan. The Board also found support for secondary service connection for diabetic neuropathy of various extremities, peripheral vascular disease, and gastroparesis as secondary to DM.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding private medical records related to asbestos exposure and lung disability. The Veteran is requested to provide information about his private physician and for VA to obtain relevant records.
- Dismissed
The appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death while the appeal was pending.
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