The Board has determined that the Veteran was likely exposed to asbestos in service, even if only minimally. The claim for service connection for a pulmonary/respiratory disorder is remanded for the Veteran to be afforded a VA medical examination that addresses the nature and etiology of any current respiratory/pulmonary disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran was likely exposed to asbestos in service, even if only minimally, based on his military occupational specialties and the M21-1 'Live Manual' which describes the probability of asbestos exposure by military occupational specialty. The claim is remanded for a VA medical examination.
- Claimed conditions
- pulmonary/respiratory disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 21, 2018
- Citation
- 1810496
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 1810496.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development and procedural issues. The claims will be adjudicated again after all requested actions are completed.
- Denied
The Veteran's hypertension, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral shoulder disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability are not service-connected as they did not manifest to a compensable degree within the one-year presumptive period or continuity of symptomatology is not established.,Service connection for a pulmonary/respiratory disability was denied due to lack of evidence linking it to in-service exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development and potential asbestos exposure. The claims will be reconsidered after obtaining all relevant records, including VA and private treatment records, as well as any additional evidence related to asbestos exposure during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board is remanding the case to ensure that all due process requirements are met and that the record is complete. The Veteran's correct address in Arizona must be used for sending correspondence, including a copy of the December 2016 Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).
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