The Board has determined that COPD was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection. The issue of an initial compensable evaluation for plantar warts and calluses of the feet is addressed in a separate remand.
The deciding factor: Service connection for COPD could not be established as it was not present during service or until years thereafter, and there was no evidence linking it to service, including presumed exposure to herbicides. The Veteran's bilateral foot disorder may have been caused by acquired pes planus in service but this needs further clarification from a VA examination.
- Claimed conditions
- COPD, bilateral foot disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 19, 2015
- Citation
- 1511818
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 1511818.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current respiratory disability and active duty service. The VA examiner concluded that the COPD was more likely due to tobacco use rather than asbestos exposure in service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, attributing it to his exposure to Agent Orange during service. COPD is considered a disease associated with such exposure.
- Granted
The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for COPD. The Veteran's COPD is presumed due to exposure to herbicides, but the evidence does not support a finding that it began during active service or is related to in-service exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's lung condition, including pneumonia residuals, COPD, and emphysema, is remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to his military service. The appeal is reopened based on new evidence.
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