The Veteran's respiratory condition is not service connected as it is linked to her long-term smoking habit.,Clubbing of fingernails and toenails are considered secondary to the respiratory condition.
The deciding factor: Service connection for the respiratory condition was denied due to its being related to the Veteran's long-term smoking, which precludes consideration under the Persian Gulf presumption. The clubbing of nails is considered a secondary effect.
- Claimed conditions
- respiratory bronchiolitis interstitial lung disease with desquamative interstitial pneumonia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, fibromyalgia (claimed as generalized joint pain of the left shoulder and elbow), irritable bowel syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 28, 2015
- Citation
- 1536948
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1536948.
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: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for adhesions as secondary to irritable bowel syndrome, finding that there was no nexus between the claimed condition and service or a service-connected disability.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for effective dates earlier than July 18, 2024, for the awards of service connection for tinnitus, tension headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome have been dismissed.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for depression, Gram Positive Cocci Condition, chronic bronchitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and diseases of Keratinization due to untimely filing of the Decision Review Request.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's deviated nasal septum was granted service connection. The claims for anxiety and sleep disturbance, erectile dysfunction, headaches, acid reflux, hypertension (high blood pressure), irritable bowel syndrome, and jaw condition were denied.
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