The Veteran's service-connected residuals of spontaneous pneumothorax with thoracotomy scar do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's rating schedule.
The deciding factor: VA's respiratory examination did not reveal any evidence of active pulmonary disease or impairment that would warrant a higher evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- Spontaneous Pneumothorax, Pleurisy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- February 10, 2012
- Citation
- 1205267
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 1205267.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for congestive heart failure (CHF) and remanded the claims for hypertension, pleurisy, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Granted
The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected pleurisy, finding that the symptoms produced moderate impairment of the thoracic muscle group.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 30 percent rating for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) prior to June 12, 2024, and denied all other claims including service connection for various respiratory conditions.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for spontaneous pneumothorax has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.
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