The Veteran's mastectomy is not service connected as it was due to gynecomastia, which may be caused by alcohol use. The Board finds the evidence does not support a finding that the mastectomy is related to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.,The Veteran has COPD and lung nodules since 2015. The VA examiner found no evidence of hepatic steatosis being confirmed by a physician other than the radiologist, but there was an indication from a January 2015 treatment note that it may be related to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.,The Veteran has a heart condition and COPD since 2015. The VA examiner found no evidence of hepatic steatosis being confirmed by a physician other than the radiologist, but there was an indication from a January 2015 treatment note that it may be related to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.,The Veteran has lung nodules since 2015. The VA examiner found no evidence of hepatic steatosis being confirmed by a physician other than the radiologist, but there was an indication from a January 2015 treatment note that it may be related to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.,The Veteran has hepatic steatosis since 2015. The VA examiner found no evidence of hepatic steatosis being confirmed by a physician other than the radiologist, but there was an indication from a January 2015 treatment note that it may be related to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's mastectomy is not service connected as it was due to gynecomastia, which may be caused by alcohol use. The VA examiner found no evidence of hepatic steatosis being confirmed by a physician other than the radiologist.
- Claimed conditions
- mastectomy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart condition, lung nodules, hepatic steatosis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 6, 2021
- Citation
- 21000726
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 21000726.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
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