The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of COPD with emphysema to obtain a more adequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's in-service exposures and his current respiratory condition.
The deciding factor: The existing VA opinions did not adequately address the Veteran's contentions related to the diagnosed COPD and/or emphysema, particularly as it relates to service connection based on direct exposure during service.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with emphysema
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2025
- Citation
- A25032170
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,861 · Granted: 27% (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 A25032170.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's COPD is granted as service connected. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and loss of balance are remanded.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but remanded the claim for COPD with emphysema due to insufficient evidence.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing or following substantial gainful employment since January 1, 2017.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a new VA examination to adequately assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected COPD with emphysema.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.