The Veteran's lung condition, including centrolobular emphysema, is being remanded for further examination and analysis to determine if it is related to service or his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine with degenerative disc disease.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner needs to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's lung condition, including centrolobular emphysema, had its onset during service, was caused by his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine with degenerative disc disease, or has been permanently worsened beyond normal progression.
- Claimed conditions
- centrilobular emphysema
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19186902
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,934 · Granted: 41% (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 19186902.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
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: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and denied service connection for basal cell carcinoma, sleep apnea, and centrilobular emphysema.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection for a lung disability, other than lung cancer. The Veteran's lung disabilities include centrilobular emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's lung disability, specifically his centrilobular emphysema. The VA needs to provide additional opinions addressing both exposure to aviation fuel and herbicides (Agent Orange).
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's pulmonary disability and its relationship to service exposure. The VA needs to obtain updated medical records, schedule a new examination, and provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's current conditions are related to his service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.