The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bronchitis, multiple calcified pleural plaques in both lungs (claimed as asbestosis), idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy with pacemaker installation, and bilateral knee disability. The evidence received since the September 2007 RO decision is new and material, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the underlying claim for service connection.
The deciding factor: The newly submitted evidence includes private medical records confirming asbestos exposure during service and post-service occupational history that may have contributed to current lung disease. The Veteran's reports of in-service asbestos exposure are considered credible.
- Claimed conditions
- bronchitis, idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, bilateral knee disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 31, 2012
- Citation
- 1237316
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 1237316.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability and increased ratings for her bilateral knee disabilities, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for a neurological examination to determine if any diagnosed radiculopathy or other neurological disability affecting the lower extremities was caused or aggravated by service-connected conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities were granted effective from January 2, 2022. The Board also remanded other issues including back and skin disorders.
- 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.
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