The Board denied service connection for a back disorder, left leg disorder, right leg disorder, left shoulder disorder, and right shoulder disorder. The Veteran did not have any diagnosed conditions related to these issues during or after his military service.,Service connection was also denied for COPD. The Veteran claimed exposure to diesel exhaust fumes and asbestos, but the Board found no evidence of such exposures in the record.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's STRs were silent on any complaints, treatment, or diagnoses related to his back, leg, shoulder, or lung conditions. His separation examination was also normal for these areas.,There is no credible evidence of current COPD and the Veteran did not provide a diagnosis in his medical records.
- Claimed conditions
- back disorder, left leg disorder, right leg disorder, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 16, 2020
- Citation
- 20040740
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 20040740.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
- Denied
The Veteran's respiratory disability, including asthma and COPD, is denied as service connection is not warranted due to the condition being solely attributed to smoking.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a back disorder, high blood pressure, and type II diabetes mellitus due to errors in development of the claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for headaches, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, back disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a failure to provide notice regarding the Veteran's right to a hearing.
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