The Board denied service connection for pulmonary disease and found no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service. The low back strain was rated at 20% effective June 18, 1992, and the left maxillary sinusitis had been rated as noncompensable since October 7, 1996.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that there is no evidence of a chronic pulmonary disease during or within one year after service. The low back strain was not found to be proximately due to the service-connected left maxillary sinusitis. The left maxillary sinusitis did not meet the criteria for an increased evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- Pulmonary Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 13, 2003
- Citation
- 0312818
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 0312818.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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 has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for pulmonary disease. However, the preponderance of the evidence is against finding a link between the Veteran's current diagnosis of COPD and his military service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for non-service-connected pension benefits is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records. The case will be readjudicated after these steps are completed.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension and pulmonary disease, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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