The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error in the July 2017 VA Respiratory Conditions Disability Benefits Questionnaire.
The deciding factor: The July 2017 VA examiner did not discuss the level of severity of the pleural plaques symptoms per the rating criteria and whether such pleural plaques symptoms could be differentiated from the Veteran's COPD symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- pleural plaques
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 6, 2019
- Citation
- A19003389
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 A19003389.
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 remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, to include pulmonary hypertension, asbestosis, pleural plaques, and obstructive and restrictive lung diseases, due to inadequate VA examination and opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's respiratory disability, including pleural plaques and COPD.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed because the veteran passed away during the pendency of the appeal. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case for a new VA examination to ensure compliance with prior directives and to evaluate the current severity of the Veteran's respiratory disability.
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