The Board denied the claim for service connection for residuals of pneumonia, finding that they were not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected CAD.
The deciding factor: VA compensation examination found no evidence of chronic residual pneumonia and opined that the veteran's current respiratory issues were more likely related to smoking than to his service-connected CAD.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of pneumonia, chronic obstructive airways disease (COPD), Barrett's esophagus
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 29, 2008
- Citation
- 0829590
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 0829590.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's prostate disability. The claims for esophageal cancer and Barrett's esophagus remain denied.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's increased rating claim for GERD with Barrett's esophagus should be remanded due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error and regulatory or statutory duties.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, GERD, Barrett's esophagus, and arrhythmia are remanded due to pre-decisional errors in obtaining necessary medical opinions.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not service-connected as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's residuals of pneumonia are service-connected due to his military service and the presence of lung scarring from previous pneumonia episodes.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is service-connected based on in-service stressors.
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.