The Veteran's post-surgical collapsed lung is not service-connected under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 because it was not caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA.
The deciding factor: The proximate cause of the Veteran's collapsed lung was found to be reasonably foreseeable due to the nature of the surgery and proximity of structures during minimally invasive mitral valve replacement and repair.
- Claimed conditions
- collapsed lung
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 13, 2022
- Citation
- 22040134
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 22040134.
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: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lung disability, to include a collapsed lung or residuals thereof, and shin disabilities due to insufficient evidence of an in-service injury or disease.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's pneumothorax (collapsed lung and reduced capacity) following a VA biopsy was not caused by any fault on the part of VA, and thus compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The specific disabilities are lung disability, lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left foot disability (claimed as Morton's neuroma with hammer toes and foot tumor pain), and right foot disability (claimed as Morton's neuroma with hammer toes and foot tumor pain).
- Whole decision: Dismissed
Your appeal has been dismissed because the Veteran died before a decision could be made. The claim will not continue without proper substitution of an eligible individual.
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