The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Buerger's disease and entitlement to special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance of another person or housebound status, finding that the disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.
The deciding factor: Service connection could not be granted as the condition did not manifest within one year after discharge from service. The Board also found that Buerger's disease was caused by smoking, which precluded service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Buerger's disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 8, 2009
- Citation
- 0938416
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 0938416.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case for a medical opinion from a physician specializing in environmental health and toxic exposures to address the etiology of the Veteran's Buerger's disease, specifically regarding its relation to service and exposure to Agent Orange.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's Buerger's disease, specifically related to exposure to herbicides or radiation therapy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that further development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's Buerger's disease, including whether it is related to his service-connected tonsil cancer and exposure to Agent Orange.
- Granted
The Veteran's Buerger's disease is related to his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition based on herbicide exposure in Vietnam.
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