The Veteran's petition to reopen a claim for service connection for respiratory disability, including as due to asbestos exposure, is granted. The Board has also remanded the case for further development and medical opinions regarding the nature of any respiratory disabilities found during the appeal period.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on new evidence received after the April 2007 rating decision that raised a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for service connection for respiratory disability, including as due to asbestos exposure. The case is remanded for further development and medical opinions regarding any respiratory disabilities found during the appeal period.
- Claimed conditions
- respiratory disability, calcified plaque on left hemidiaphragm
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19193936
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 19193936.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for complete loss of sense of smell, an acquired psychiatric disability, a low back disability, a respiratory disability, and tinnitus to schedule VA examinations.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for allergic rhinitis and remanded the other claims for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, a heart disability, and a respiratory disability due to outstanding service treatment records and insufficient medical evidence.
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