The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for COPD and sleep apnea due to a pre-decisional error. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the COPD and sleep apnea issues.
The deciding factor: The decision involves multiple issues related to service connection, including new evidence received after previous denials for skin cancer and COPD. The Board has ordered additional examinations and opinions regarding the Veteran's COPD and sleep apnea due to potential exposure to asbestos and PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- skin cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 18, 2021
- Citation
- A21016862
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 A21016862.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease manifesting within one year after service and concluding that the current disability is not related to his in-service deviated septum.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current sleep disorder is related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further development.
- 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.
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