The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an examination assessing whether any respiratory disorder is related to inservice asbestos exposure. The Veteran's service connection claim for a respiratory disorder, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pleurisy, will be reconsidered after obtaining an appropriate medical opinion.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current respiratory disorders and his inservice asbestos exposure due to lack of a VA examination.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pleurisy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 2, 2019
- Citation
- 19190412
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,987 · Granted: 15% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19190412.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for pleurisy was dismissed because the VA Form 10182, which requested review of the denial of pleurisy service connection, constituted an impermissible concurrent election with his supplemental claim.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for pleurisy and emphysema was granted with an effective date of September 20, 2024. The Board found that the Veteran continuously pursued the claim since September 20, 2024.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for TDIU prior to October 18, 2018 due to a lack of evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the onset and etiology of his left ankle sprain, pleurisy, and right shoulder disability. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional lay statements from the Veteran and a fellow servicemember, as well as an addendum opinion from a VA or private clinician.
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.