The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung disability, including asbestosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and emphysema. The evidence did not support a diagnosis of asbestosis or establish a link between in-service asbestos exposure and current COPD and emphysema.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's COPD and emphysema were less likely caused by in-service asbestos exposure, attributing it to his long-term tobacco use instead.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20068543
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
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