The Board has determined that the Veteran's lung/respiratory disability, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, asthma, and bronchitis, is not service-connected. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar back strain was also denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found no evidence linking the Veteran's current lung/respiratory disability to his active duty service or any other cause.
- Claimed conditions
- lung/respiratory disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 10, 2017
- Citation
- 1732491
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 1732491.
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.
- Partly granted
The VA has received new and material evidence to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a lung disability. The Veteran's lung/respiratory disabilities are not causally related to service, but due to his history of chronic smoking. Service connection is denied for an acquired psychiatric disability, alcoholism, and sleep disorder.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's lung/respiratory disability and body misalignment are not related to service. The right arm, shoulder, and elbow condition claim was denied due to lack of evidence establishing a causal relationship.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that further development of the record is needed before a final decision can be made on the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.