The Board has denied service connection for a respiratory condition including COPD, RLD and tuberculosis. Service connection for sleep apnea is granted.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's current respiratory disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not secondary to a service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), restrictive lung disease (RLD), tuberculosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 16, 2021
- Citation
- 21008360
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 21008360.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tuberculosis, bilateral hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric condition due to conflicting evidence and need for further evaluation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for tinnitus, liver disorder (MASLD), and COPD are remanded due to incomplete or inadequate evidence. The claim for service connection is also remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for asthma, eczematoid dermatitis, and allergic rhinitis are being remanded due to incomplete examination reports and the need for new VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for tuberculosis, heart disability (claimed as open-heart surgery), kidney failure, and a disability manifested by pain and numbness in the bilateral upper extremities due to presumed exposure to contaminants at Camp Lejeune. The VA is required to obtain additional medical opinions addressing the relationship between these conditions and 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.