The Board denied service connection for an abdominal aortic aneurysm, finding it was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and not related to any service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The October 2023 VA examination found that the Veteran's abdominal aortic aneurysm was less likely than not related to his conceded exposure to asbestos during service. The claim was denied as the evidence did not support a direct link between the Veteran's smoking and the development of the aneurysm, which is expressly precluded by law.
- Claimed conditions
- abdominal aortic aneurysm
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25027450
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error by the AOJ.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for abdominal aortic aneurysm as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hypertension.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a Level 2 stipend under the VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers due to his inability to self-sustain in the community.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for hyposmia, abdominal aortic aneurysm, cervical radiculopathy, right upper extremity, and erectile dysfunction has been withdrawn by the Veteran.
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