The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic asthmatic bronchitis and entitlement to special monthly pension (SMP) on account of being in need of aid and attendance (A&A). The Board found that there was no evidence linking the claimed conditions to active duty, and thus denied both claims.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not find any radiographic evidence of asbestos exposure and opined that the veteran's current pulmonary disorder is secondary to smoking history rather than alleged asbestos exposure. There was also no medical evidence linking the current diagnosed conditions to service.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic asthmatic bronchitis, coronary artery disease, old myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension, hyperlipidemia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 15, 2008
- Citation
- 0831513
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 0831513.
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: 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.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
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