The Board found that COPD/asthma was not incurred in or aggravated by military service and is not proximately due to or the result of the Veteran's service-connected pneumoconiosis.
The deciding factor: COPD/asthma was not shown to be related to service, including exposure to asbestos or other environmental factors, and it was determined that the current COPD/asthma is more likely caused by the Veteran's long history of cigarette smoking rather than his service-connected pneumoconiosis.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) with Asthma, Pneumoconiosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 15, 2010
- Citation
- 1034694
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 1034694.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's interstitial lung disease and pneumoconiosis are found to have originated during active service, warranting service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's COPD with pneumoconiosis and its relation to service, specifically exposure to asbestos and herbicide agents in Vietnam.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected pneumoconiosis did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent from September 10, 2010 to October 8, 2013.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for pneumoconiosis was denied, and his TDIU claim was also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation or for TDIU.
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