The Board has determined that the Veteran's interstitial lung disease and ulcerative colitis are at least as likely as not related to exposure to toxic substances and environmental hazards while deployed in Southwest Asia. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided by VA examiners and private physicians supported a link between the Veteran's interstitial lung disease and ulcerative colitis and his exposure to toxic substances and environmental hazards during deployment in Southwest Asia.
- Claimed conditions
- Interstitial lung disease, Ulcerative colitis
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19112712
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,456 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19112712.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of interstitial lung disease, and the appeal is dismissed.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a higher level of special monthly compensation, including based on an intermediate step increase.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 8, 2022 for COPD was dismissed due to a prohibited concurrent election.,Service connection for degenerative changes of the spine with mild dextroscoliosis (claimed as spinal arthritis, back) was granted in full and is no longer for appellate review.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for ulcerative colitis was dismissed because there is no current diagnosis or functional impairment due to this condition.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
Your appeal for service connection of interstitial lung disease has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The case will not be reconsidered until a new claimant is found eligible.
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