The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, including COPD, finding that his symptoms did not have their onset in service and are not etiologically related to his service.
The deciding factor: The Board found no evidence of chronicity of care for a respiratory condition during active service and noted that all encounters in service would be expected to resolve. The VA examiners also considered the Veteran's extensive cigarette smoking history, which is more likely than any in-service event or illness causing his current respiratory disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- respiratory disorder, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 14, 2023
- Citation
- 23050882
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 23050882.
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).
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Whole decision: Denied
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- Whole decision: Dismissed
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