Veterans’ RightsAn independent resource for veterans
← All decisions
Denied

The Board denied the Veteran's service connection claim for a lung disability and remanded the issue of an initial rating in excess of 10 percent prior to February 19, 2014, and in excess of 30 percent thereafter, for bilateral hearing loss. The case is being remanded again due to inadequate development.

The deciding factor: The Board's decision was based on the absence of service treatment records and the Veteran's testimony regarding his in-service pneumonia and continuous radiographic evidence of a 'black spot' on his lung following service. The VA examiner opined that the current lung disorders were less likely related to service, attributing them to smoking history.

Claimed conditions
lung disability
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
November 1, 2017
Citation
1749513

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 1749513.

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.

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.