The Board found that the veteran was exposed to asbestos throughout his lifetime and likely during service. The evidence is in relative equipoise regarding whether exposure to asbestos during military service proximately caused the current diagnosis of asbestosis, thus granting service connection for asbestosis.
The deciding factor: The Board determined there was a reasonable possibility that any period of exposure to asbestos could have caused the veteran's currently diagnosed asbestosis, and granted service connection based on this finding.
- Claimed conditions
- asbestosis, asbestos pleural disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 30, 2004
- Citation
- 0417468
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 0417468.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a lung condition, to include COPD, asbestosis, and bilateral pleural plaques due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service and his current lung condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a VA examination to address service connection and rating issues.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for asbestosis, finding that the Veteran's exposure to asbestos in service caused his condition.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a disability evaluation in excess of 30 percent for asbestosis and remanded the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). An increased rating to 60 percent was granted effective April 10, 2025.
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