The Veteran's claim for an initial, compensable disability rating for pleural plaques, claimed as asbestos-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is being remanded due to unclear diagnoses and the need for additional medical examination.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that a new VA examination is necessary to clarify the precise nature and severity of the Veteran's service-connected pleural plaque disability and distinguish between symptoms associated with the service-connected disability and any nonservice-connected respiratory disorder(s).
- Claimed conditions
- pleural plaques, asbestos-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 10, 2012
- Citation
- 1216812
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 1216812.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for asbestosis with pleural plaques and vascular dementia as secondary to asbestosis with pleural plaques due to a lack of an adequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's conditions and his military service.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for respiratory disorders prior to October 24, 2018; a rating in excess of 10 percent from October 24, 2018; and an evaluation in excess of 60 percent from November 6, 2024 is dismissed.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed for his claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The Board found that the issue had been resolved by a prior rating decision granting service connection and assigning a 50% disability rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess his current level of severity for COPD with asbestosis, pulmonary fibrosis and plaques. The Veteran was previously rated at 30 percent but may be entitled to a higher rating.
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