The Veteran's respiratory disability, including as related to in-service asbestos exposure and/or service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War, has not been shown to be causally related to his active military service.
The deciding factor: Service treatment records do not reflect continued respiratory complications following resolution of a 1977 pneumonia. Chest x-rays were within normal limits throughout the Veteran's service and no abnormalities were noted in subsequent examinations.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asbestosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2018
- Citation
- 1801206
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 1801206.
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 Board granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome. The Board also denied an increased rating for the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a lung condition, to include COPD, asbestosis, and bilateral pleural plaques due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service and his current lung condition.
- Partly granted
The Board granted restoration of the 10 percent evaluation for left knee meniscus, effective April 21, 2025, and an additional 20 percent rating was also granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a VA examination to address service connection and rating issues.
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.