The VA denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a lung condition, as there is no current evidence of a lung disability. The other conditions were found to be related to service.
The deciding factor: There is no current medical evidence of a lung disability in service or currently present, and thus service connection cannot be established.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (Bipolar Disorder), Polysubstance Abuse, Heart Disability (Abnormal Electrocardiogram), Lung Condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 25, 2007
- Citation
- 0733613
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 0733613.
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 Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically bipolar disorder, is rated at 70 percent from April 25, 2012 to August 10, 2014 and from October 1, 2014 to June 17, 2024. The rating of 70 percent reflects the severity, frequency, and duration of symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, near-continuous panic, chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss, flattened affect, disturbances in motivation and mood, difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships, difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances, neglect of personal appearance and hygiene. The Veteran does not have a service connection theory involving the PACT Act or Agent Orange exposure.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and remanded the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, a lung condition, and entitlement to TDIU.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to a compensable rating for GERD, service connection for skin condition, and service connection for lung condition due to missing evidence in the claims file.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent disability rating for his depressive disorder NOS with anxiety and polysubstance abuse was denied. The claim for Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) was also denied.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.