The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the claim of service connection for COPD, as the Veteran's current condition is more likely due to his significant smoking history and post-service exposure to asbestos in a steel mill. The Board found insufficient evidence linking the Veteran's in-service exposure to asbestos with his current COPD.
The deciding factor: The weight of the competent and probative evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's COPD was caused by his in-service exposure to asbestos, as there is no direct medical opinion linking the two.
- Claimed conditions
- COPD
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 27, 2019
- Citation
- 19150439
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 service connection for COPD, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the Veteran's respiratory condition and his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions and a TDIU, as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these disabilities were related to the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's COPD precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantial gainful employment, warranting a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).
- Denied
The Board denied an effective date earlier than August 10, 2022, for the grant of a 60 percent rating for sarcoidosis, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and COPD.
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