The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for major depression and a pulmonary disorder due to asbestos exposure, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service event or chronic disability. The claimant is not entitled to the benefit of the doubt as he did not provide sufficient medical evidence linking his current conditions to his military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the veteran's service medical records were negative for a chronic pulmonary disorder and major depressive disorder, and there was no evidence of an in-service event or exposure to asbestos. The claimant failed to provide sufficient medical evidence to support his claims.
- Claimed conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder, Pulmonary Disorder due to Asbestos Exposure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 28, 2005
- Citation
- 0505573
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 0505573.
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
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- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for a 70 percent disability rating for his psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with MDD and anxiety, has been granted. However, the issue of entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is remanded due to procedural issues.
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