The Veteran's lung/respiratory disorder, including pulmonary fibrosis and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, was not incurred in service or caused by service. The Board also found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence linking the Veteran's lung disorders to his active service, including as due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's non-service-connected lung disorder was deemed a significant factor in his inability to work.
- Claimed conditions
- pulmonary fibrosis, nonspecific interstitial pneumonia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 13, 2018
- Citation
- 1815161
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 1815161.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for pulmonary fibrosis as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis.
- Granted
The Veteran's pulmonary fibrosis is related to in-service exposure to herbicide agents, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors, including obtaining signed consent forms and an adequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's lung complications.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a respiratory disorder, including interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, and pulmonary asbestosis, due to in-service asbestos exposure.
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