The Board denied service connection for cause of death due to bladder cancer and COPD, finding that the Veteran's COPD was not related to in-service asbestos exposure or other welding fume exposure. The decision also noted that the Veteran died from chronic renal failure caused by bladder cancer.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no evidence of COPD during service and concluded that the Veteran’s COPD was more likely due to his long-term smoking habit than any in-service asbestos exposure or other welding fume exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Renal Failure, Bladder Cancer, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20050266
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 20050266.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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: Granted
The Veteran's hypertension was granted a 10 percent rating for the period prior to August 10, 2022. The Veteran's bladder cancer received a 100 percent rating from March 7, 2018 until September 8, 2018.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for bladder cancer effective from December 16, 2005, finding that the Veteran had a claim pending since then.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's psychiatric disability, hypertension, and bladder cancer are granted service connection. The Board has remanded the cases for further development regarding herbicide exposure claims.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused or contributed to by service or a service-connected disability. The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death as there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and no other link between the Veteran's death and his military 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.