The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected PTSD caused him to use tobacco products, which in turn led to his development of COPD and an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Therefore, these conditions are granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service-connected PTSD played a substantial role in causing him to use tobacco products, leading to the development of COPD and an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 6, 2008
- Citation
- 0834300
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 0834300.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused or contributed to by service or a service-connected disability. The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death as there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and no other link between the Veteran's death and his military service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to posttraumatic stress disorder and abdominal aortic aneurysm on a direct basis.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not service connected due to lack of evidence linking his conditions to service, and there is no presumption of exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange). The Board found the evidence did not support a grant of service connection for any condition that caused or contributed to the Veteran's death.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's abdominal aortic aneurysm, finding that there is no evidence to support a relationship between his current condition and his military service or any service-connected disabilities.
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