The Veteran claims service connection for a pulmonary lung disease due to in-service exposure to asbestos. The Board finds that VA has a duty to investigate whether the Veteran may have been exposed to asbestos in service as claimed and requests information regarding the likelihood of such exposure from any appropriate agency. Additionally, the Veteran should be requested to identify any VA or non-VA healthcare provider who treated him for his pulmonary lung disease and obtain all identified records. If it is determined that the Veteran was exposed to asbestos during service, he should be afforded a VA examination so as to determine the current nature and etiology of his pulmonary disorder.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that there may have been exposure to asbestos in service but needs to verify this through further investigation and obtain records from any appropriate agency. Additionally, a VA examination is needed if exposure is confirmed to assess the current condition and its relation to service.
- Claimed conditions
- pulmonary lung disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 14, 2015
- Citation
- 1539086
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 1539086.
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
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- Granted
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