The Veteran's lung condition is not etiologically related to service, including asbestos exposure in service. The Board finds that the Veteran's current lung condition is not related to asbestos exposure and assigns greater probative weight to the opinions of the VA examiner and VHA medical opinion.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support a link between the Veteran's lung condition and his service, particularly given his history of smoking during service. The Board finds that the Veteran's current lung condition is more likely due to his smoking history than to asbestos exposure in service.
- Claimed conditions
- lung condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 27, 2017
- Citation
- 1760371
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 1760371.
What this means for you
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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 lung condition, including pneumonia residuals, COPD, and emphysema, is remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to his military service. The appeal is reopened based on new evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's lung condition and obstructive sleep apnea are being remanded for additional development to determine if they are related to service, specifically his in-service pneumonia. The claims will also be reviewed for secondary service connection due to the Veteran's tinnitus and hearing loss.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was denied, and the Board found that no effective date prior to May 30, 2019 is warranted.
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