The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and GERD, as well as his TDIU claim, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for COPD due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, and it also determined that there was no evidence linking the current GERD symptoms to service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's COPD is more likely related to his long history of smoking rather than to his military service or presumed exposure to Agent Orange. The GERD symptoms were attributed to his tobacco use, which he had since quit in 1981.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 14, 2016
- Citation
- 1610073
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 1610073.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is granted a 70% rating, effective July 15, 2024. The Veteran's GERD remains at a 10% rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted at a 70 percent rating prior to July 29, 2024. The GERD rating remains at 30 percent disabled but no higher.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's IBS with GERD was granted an initial 60 percent rating. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for COPD due to duty-to-assist errors and a need for a supplemental medical opinion.
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