The Veteran's pulmonary disorder, manifested by adult onset asthma, bronchitis, bronchiectasis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with respiratory failure, is service-connected as it had its onset during service.
The deciding factor: Based on the Veteran's credible lay statements and medical evidence, the Board determined that the Veteran's lung condition began during his active duty service in the Navy.
- Claimed conditions
- adult onset asthma, bronchitis, bronchiectasis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with respiratory failure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- March 26, 2009
- Citation
- 0911328
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 684 · Granted: 25% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0911328.
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.
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The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his COPD with ILD, specifically bronchiectasis and pulmonary nodules as it is a freestanding claim that cannot be filed after a final decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for frequent urination, erectile dysfunction, chronic pain multiple joints, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and chronic bradycardia, acid reflux, bronchitis, and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded due to the presence of service-connected conditions.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for bronchitis, OSA as secondary to rhinitis, and migraine headaches as secondary to hypertension or OSA. The AOJ will need to provide additional medical opinions addressing the nature and etiology of these conditions, including considering the synergistic effects of all relevant exposures.
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