The Board found that the Veteran's respiratory disorder and right hand disability were not incurred in service, but granted service connection for the right hand disability as a subsequent manifestation of his already service-connected left hand arthritis.
The deciding factor: VA medical opinion evidence indicated that the respiratory disorder was not related to service and the right hand disability was a result of overuse due to pre-existing left hand condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Respiratory disorder, Right hand disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- November 2, 2017
- Citation
- 1749862
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 1749862.
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.
- Dismissed
The claim of entitlement to service connection for a right hand disability is dismissed.,The claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder based on a June 2020 claim is denied.,The claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral ankle and foot disabilities are remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The VA will obtain medical opinions regarding the relationship between the claimed conditions and service-connected bilateral hearing loss, as well as a TERA examination for frequent urination.
- Granted
The Veteran's hair loss and some other conditions are granted service connection, while the right hand disability is denied. The Veteran also has a new rating for his low back condition.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a respiratory disorder, including claims related to asbestos exposure and claimed ionizing radiation exposure. The evidence did not support a link between any in-service exposures and the current diagnoses.
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.