The Veteran's initial compensable disability rating for asbestosis with pleural plaques from November 23, 1993 to October 6, 1996 was denied. A 10 percent disability rating was granted for the period from October 7, 1996 to May 20, 1998. The claim for increased ratings since November 8, 2002 remains pending.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations conducted during this period did not provide sufficient post-bronchodilator FVC and DLCO findings as required by the rating criteria, leading to a denial of the initial compensable rating. The Veteran's current disability level was found to warrant a 10 percent rating from October 7, 1996 to May 20, 1998.
- Claimed conditions
- Asbestosis with pleural plaques
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 5, 2014
- Citation
- 1409376
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1409376.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Veteran's service-connected insomnia disorder was granted a rating of 70 percent, but no higher, from July 14, 2022. The claims for increased ratings for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus were denied, as was the claim for TDIU in excess of 10 percent. Asbestosis with pleural plaques was remanded.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected psychiatric disability, and therefore grants TDIU with a rating of 70% for depressive disorder.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's asbestosis with pleural plaques was rated at 30 percent from November 8, 2002 to April 7, 2013. From February 7, 2013 to April 7, 2013, the disability rating increased to 60 percent.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's asbestosis with pleural plaques has been restored to a 30 percent evaluation effective September 20, 2011. The Board found the reduction improper and thus reinstated the original rating.
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