The Board denied the veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected residuals of a right pneumothorax, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.
The deciding factor: Pulmonary function test results from September 1998, October 2000, and December 2002 all failed to reflect FEV-1 of 80 percent or less, FEV-1/FVC of 80 percent or less, or DLCO (SB) of 80 percent or less, any of which would warrant a compensable rating.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a right pneumothorax
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 8, 2003
- Citation
- 0315177
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 0315177.
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: Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection, increased rating, and TDIU as the Veteran died during the appeal process.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and residuals of a right pneumothorax. The claim for an increased disability rating for bunionectomy, left great toe, was remanded due to further development being required.
- 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.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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