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.
The deciding factor: Service connection for COPD was granted based on the aggravation of the condition by service-connected diabetes. The claims for increased ratings were dismissed due to an opt-in to the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA), and the peripheral neuropathy conditions were denied as they did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 19, 2025
- Citation
- 25015073
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 869 · Granted: 44% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 25015073.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for COPD due to duty-to-assist errors and a need for a supplemental medical opinion.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal to reduce the ratings for OSA and COPD with asthma and granuloma of the lung was denied, as well as his attempt to add a claim for service connection for aphasia secondary to TBI. The appeals were dismissed due to untimeliness.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD is remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Board requests an addendum opinion from a pulmonologist or clinician with appropriate expertise to determine if the Veteran's COPD is etiologically related to his VA conceded TERA exposure, including exposure to TCDD, jet fuel and engine exhaust, hazardous chemicals, lead, vehicle engine exhaust fumes, chemical vapors, oily/hazardous waste, chemical solvents, and compressed gases.
- Denied
The Veteran's COPD was evaluated and found not to meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating based on the provided pulmonary function test results. The Board denied the claim as there is no evidence of service connection or exposure basis that would warrant a higher rating.
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