The Board granted service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, with tobacco use as an intermediate step. The claim for cataracts was remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's COPD is related to his service-connected PTSD and tobacco use, while the evidence regarding the etiology of his cataracts is insufficient to make a determination on this issue.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- October 21, 2024
- Citation
- 24032040
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- 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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for COPD as secondary to diabetes and denied increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy conditions, while dismissing claims related to upper extremity neuropathy.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a higher level of special monthly compensation (SMC) as he does not meet the criteria for an increased rate based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial 60 percent rating for COPD, resolving all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
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