The Board has determined that the veteran's right pneumothorax sustained in service is not related to his current respiratory symptoms, and thus a compensable rating cannot be granted.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner could not make a definitive determination regarding the etiology of the veteran's current symptoms without reviewing the claims file and the veteran's service medical records prior to the examination.
- Claimed conditions
- right pneumothorax
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 21, 2001
- Citation
- 0108300
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0108300.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted a 10 percent disability rating based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities for the period on appeal prior to May 31, 2016.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for service-connected headaches and dismissed the appeal regarding the propriety of a proposed reduction in the evaluation of right pneumothorax from 20 percent to 0 percent.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for right and left pneumothorax, finding that his correspondence did not constitute a valid Notice of Disagreement.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and a specific disability rating are being remanded due to inconsistencies in the VA examination findings.
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