The Board granted service connection for a prostate condition and a respiratory condition, to include asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), based on the Veteran's exposure to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was sufficient evidence to conclude that the Veteran's respiratory condition worsened during service due to exposure to burn pit fumes, despite the inability to independently verify this exposure. The benefit of the doubt doctrine applied in favor of the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- prostate condition, respiratory condition, to include asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- April 11, 2025
- Citation
- 25004944
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a prostate condition, including prostate cancer, as there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and no nexus to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, service connection for sinusitis and a prostate condition due to herbicide exposure, and remanded claims for service connection for tension headaches and a kidney condition due to herbicide exposure.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, but granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for fibromyalgia, migraines, neuropsychological signs or symptoms, and a respiratory condition. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep disorder, lumbar spine disability, bilateral eye conditions, gastrointestinal problems, high blood pressure, and left below knee amputation were remanded.
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