The Board denied service connection for lung cancer, pulmonary nodule, and post-operative residuals of a gall bladder disability due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and/or Camp Pendleton. The claim for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was remanded.,Service connection for bone loss of the jaw was also denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a current diagnosis of lung cancer or pulmonary nodule, and there was no clear and unmistakable evidence that preexisting latent TB worsened during service. The examiner opined that the Veteran's post-operative residuals of gall bladder disability were not related to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.,The dental examiner concluded that the bone loss of the jaw did not have onset in active service or was otherwise causally connected to the Veteran’s active service.
- Claimed conditions
- lung cancer, pulmonary nodule, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), post-operative residuals of a gall bladder disability, bone loss of the jaw
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2020
- Citation
- 20072787
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,500 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20072787.
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 claim for a higher evaluation of his service-connected chronic fatigue and weakness due to chemotherapy and radiation treatment for lung cancer is granted, with an evaluation of 60 percent.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for residuals of lung cancer from May 1, 2005 is denied.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for right foot disability status post Mitchell's bunionectomy is granted with an effective date of July 25, 2023.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for left foot disability status post Mitchell's bunionectomy is dismissed as it does not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for asthma, COPD, pancreatitis, stroke, and left arm weakness (claimed as secondary to stroke) based on the presumption of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service or due to in-service exposure.
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