The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his active service, including exposure to herbicides. Service connection is denied for COPD, Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome/Sleep Apnea, breathing problems (including bronchitis and emphysema), peripheral neuropathy of upper extremities, ingrown toenails of lower extremities, GERD, and edema of lower extremities.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's claimed conditions are related to his active service or exposure to herbicides. The Board has reviewed all available medical records and lay statements submitted by the Veteran and finds no credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- COPD, Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome/Sleep Apnea, Breathing Problems (including Bronchitis and Emphysema), Peripheral Neuropathy of Upper Extremities, Ingrown Toenails of Lower Extremities, GERD, Edema of Lower Extremities
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 25, 2015
- Citation
- 1541563
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 1541563.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
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 Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA opinion and a need for further examination.
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