The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with asthma, as there was no competent evidence of a nexus between COPD with asthma and active military service.
The deciding factor: There is no competent medical evidence showing that the Veteran's COPD with asthma is related to his service. The record does not show any respiratory problems during service or for many years after service, and post-service medical records attribute the disorders to the Veteran's history of smoking and/or post service industrial occupational exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with asthma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 6, 2009
- Citation
- 0908364
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with asthma based on the evidence showing that the disability picture is most closely characterized by the already-assigned 10 percent criteria under Diagnostic Code 6602.
- Partly granted
Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The claim for service connection for COPD with asthma is remanded for further evaluation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development of evidence related to the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with asthma.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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.