The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchitis are not service-connected due to being related to smoking, including tobacco use during service. The appeal is denied.
The deciding factor: Service connection for a lung disability resulting from tobacco use is barred by law and regulation.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 18, 2012
- Citation
- 1224864
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 1224864.
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 Veteran's claims for frequent urination, erectile dysfunction, chronic pain multiple joints, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and chronic bradycardia, acid reflux, bronchitis, and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded due to the presence of service-connected conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for TDIU prior to October 18, 2018 due to a lack of evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for bronchitis, OSA as secondary to rhinitis, and migraine headaches as secondary to hypertension or OSA. The AOJ will need to provide additional medical opinions addressing the nature and etiology of these conditions, including considering the synergistic effects of all relevant exposures.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.