The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's diagnosed respiratory disorders to his active service, including exposure to asbestos or herbicides. The claims for service connection were denied.
The deciding factor: There is no competent medical evidence establishing a direct relationship between the Veteran's current respiratory conditions and his military service, including any potential herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- wheezing, exertional dyspnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 11, 2015
- Citation
- 1552054
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 1552054.
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 Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma, a respiratory disability other than asthma, right shoulder disability, rhinitis, and sinusitis have been denied. The claim for GERD has resulted in a 30% rating but not higher.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a disability manifested by wheezing, but remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus, and hypothyroidism.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a respiratory disability, to include chronic cough, wheezing, and bronchitis, as an adequate VA examination and medical opinion are needed.
- Granted
The Veteran's respiratory disorder, including coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, is considered an undiagnosed illness due to service in the Southwest Asia theater during the Persian Gulf War. The Board has granted service connection for this condition.
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