The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his pulmonary fibrosis and asbestosis from March 5, 2019 to July 7, 2020 is remanded due to inadequate VA examinations that did not conduct the required Diffusion Capacity of the Lung for Carbon Monoxide by the Single Breath Method (DLCO) (SB) test.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners failed to provide an explanation for why DLCO (SB) testing was not conducted, which is a requirement under 38 C.F.R. § 4.97 and 4.96(d)(2).
- Claimed conditions
- pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary asbestosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 13, 2022
- Citation
- A22025246
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 A22025246.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's pulmonary fibrosis is related to in-service exposure to herbicide agents, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for pulmonary fibrosis as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors, including obtaining signed consent forms and an adequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's lung complications.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a respiratory disorder, including interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, and pulmonary asbestosis, due to in-service asbestos exposure.
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