The Board denied service connection for lung cancer and pulmonary nodule, both secondary to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and/or Camp Pendleton. The COPD claim is remanded.,Service connection was not granted for post-operative residuals of a gall bladder disability or bone loss of the jaw, both also secondary to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and/or Camp Pendleton.

The deciding factor: The evidence does not support current diagnoses of lung cancer or pulmonary nodule. The pre-existing latent TB did not worsen during service.,Obesity is not a disability for VA benefits, but may be an intermediate step between a service-connected disability and the diagnosed restrictive lung disease.

Claimed conditions

{"condition_name":"lung cancer","secondary_to":["exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and/or Camp Pendleton"]}, {"condition_name":"pulmonary nodule","secondary_to":["exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and/or Camp Pendleton"]}, {"condition_name":"chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)","secondary_to":null}, {"condition_name":"post-operative residuals of a gall bladder disability","secondary_to":["exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and/or Camp Pendleton"]}, {"condition_name":"bone loss of the jaw","secondary_to":null}

How they argued it

Secondary to another service-connected condition

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

November 12, 2020

Citation

20072787