The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's respiratory disability claims, including bronchitis and COPD. The Veteran needs to provide VA treatment records and identify all medical providers who have treated him for respiratory problems since separation from service in 1959. An appropriate examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any respiratory disability.
The deciding factor: The Board lacks sufficient evidence to make a decision on the Veteran's claims, as there are no nexus opinions provided by VA medical experts regarding the relationship between his current respiratory disabilities and service or other potential causes.
- Claimed conditions
- bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 24, 2015
- Citation
- 1536082
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 1536082.
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.
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The Veteran's respiratory disability, including asthma and COPD, is denied as service connection is not warranted due to the condition being solely attributed to smoking.
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- Denied
The Board denied service connection for asthma, COPD, pancreatitis, stroke, and left arm weakness (claimed as secondary to stroke) based on the presumption of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service or due to in-service exposure.
- Dismissed
The appeal seeking readjudication of the previously denied claim for PTSD and multiple other conditions is dismissed due to a procedural defect. The Veteran's authorized representative at the time the appeal was submitted did not have the authority to file the appeal.
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