The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral pleural plaques is remanded due to uncertainty regarding the impairment caused by his service-connected disability versus his nonservice-connected conditions and possible impact of his aortic valve replacement and cardiac rehabilitation on PFT findings.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner noted uncertainty in differentiating the effects of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pleural plaques from his nonservice-connected emphysema and the possible impact of his aortic valve replacement and cardiac rehabilitation on PFT findings.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pleural plaques
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 27, 2023
- Citation
- 23005381
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 23005381.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a lung condition, to include COPD, asbestosis, and bilateral pleural plaques due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service and his current lung condition.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a higher disability rating was dismissed because the January 2024 rating decision implemented a previous Board decision and is not appealable. The Veteran will receive a separate decision regarding their September 2024 VA Form 10182.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pleural plaques disability and obtaining any outstanding records.
- Granted
The Veteran's current diagnosis of bilateral pleural plaques is due to his in-service exposure to asbestos. The Board has determined that the criteria for service connection are met, and therefore grants service connection for bilateral pleural plaques.
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