The Veteran's death was caused by respiratory failure due to COPD, which is etiologically related to his in-service chronic respiratory disorders. The Board finds that the appellant is entitled to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and therefore DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1310 are granted.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence supports a finding that the Veteran died from COPD, which was related to his in-service chronic respiratory disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Bronchitis, Asthma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 1, 2017
- Citation
- 1749255
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 1749255.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Veteran's asthma is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board finds that this rating adequately compensates his service-connected condition.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's sleep apnea claim has been remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, asthma, and foot conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history throughout the appeal period.
- 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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