The Board denied service connection for COPD, bilateral lower extremity edema, and bronchitis as the evidence did not establish a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active service. The appeal for DIC based on the cause of death was dismissed due to substitution of the appellant. A TDIU claim was also denied.
The deciding factor: The August 2022 medical examiner opined that COPD, bilateral lower extremity edema, and bronchitis were less likely than not related to in-service exposure or other incidents during active service, with a strong emphasis on the Veteran's history of tobacco abuse as the primary cause.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Bilateral lower extremity edema, Bronchitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 10, 2023
- Citation
- 23001351
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for asbestosis, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was also denied a compensable rating.
- Denied
The appeal for service connection for PTSD was dismissed, and the claims for a compensable rating for the lower back scar, service connection for COPD, and peripheral artery disease were denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, COPD, a gastrointestinal disability, and migraines due to lack of evidence supporting a link between these conditions and her military service.
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