The Board found no causal connection between the Veteran's mixed obstructive and restrictive airway disease (claimed as asthma) and his service, including exposure to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune. The examiner opined that it was not at least as likely as not due to in-service exposures.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of medical literature did not support a causal connection between the Veteran's respiratory disease and his exposure to contaminants in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune, or his STR symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- mixed obstructive and restrictive airway disease (claimed as asthma), occupational asthma
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 25, 2016
- Citation
- 1621229
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 1621229.
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 service connection for mixed obstructive and restrictive airway disease, finding no medical evidence establishing a link between the Veteran's in-service exposures and his respiratory disability.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of service connection for mixed obstructive and restrictive airway disease (claimed as asthma) due to incomplete medical records from the Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs and the Office of Personnel Management. The Appellant is requested to provide completed VA Form 21-4142 for these records.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a respiratory condition, including occupational asthma, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether it was caused by exposure to toxic substances during active service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of records from the Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs and the Office of Personnel Management. The Veteran is required to complete forms for these requests.
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