The Veteran's pleural fibrosis is not considered service-connected due to lack of evidence linking the condition to his military service.
The deciding factor: The VA medical records do not provide sufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's current pleural fibrosis and his military service, including any potential asbestos exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- pleural fibrosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2009
- Citation
- 0911845
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 0911845.
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 Veteran's service-connected pleural fibrosis did not render him unemployable prior to October 20, 2017. The Board found that his other nonservice-connected conditions prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded three issues: entitlement to separate compensation for shortness of breath and rib pain associated with service-connected pleural fibrosis, as well as the issue of total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU). The Veteran's respiratory conditions are currently rated at 50 percent combined. Additional development is needed to address the relationship between the Veteran's symptoms and his service-connected conditions, as well as to determine whether he is unemployable.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employment, and for consideration of all his service-connected conditions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for pleural plaques and pleural fibrosis, claimed as breathing problems due to asbestos is remanded for further development including obtaining private treatment records from a pulmonologist.
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