The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty about how to measure the Veteran's service-connected respiratory disability, specifically whether DLCO test results are appropriate given a private medical opinion suggesting asbestos exposure may have contributed to his COPD and emphysema.
The deciding factor: Further examination is needed to determine which test result (DLCO or post-bronchodilator) best measures the Veteran's service-connected interstitial pulmonary fibrosis as a residual of asbestos exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), Emphysema
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19179372
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.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of February 12, 2019, for the grant of service connection for interstitial pulmonary fibrosis based on a liberalizing law.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, ischemic heart disease (IHD), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent placement as secondary to IHD, hypertensive heart disease, and emphysema. The COPD claim was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for mantle cell lymphoma, emphysema, diabetes mellitus, Type II, bilateral foot neuropathy, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and antisocial personality disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a respiratory disability to include COPD, emphysema, and restrictive lung disease for further development as the RO did not substantially comply with previous Board directives.
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