The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a respiratory disorder, including as secondary to herbicide exposure, was denied by the RO. The Board found that there is no evidence of current respiratory disorders and that the preponderance of the evidence is against finding any such conditions are related to service or herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's STRs do not show any chronic respiratory issues during his active duty, and post-service medical records do not establish a link between his current respiratory conditions and his military service or herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obstructive emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 21, 2009
- Citation
- 0939994
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 0939994.
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
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The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
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- Remanded (sent back)
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