Remanded (sent back)PACT Act
The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for cause of death, as a VA opinion was not obtained regarding whether COPD or any other condition that contributed to the Veteran's death was at least as likely as not directly caused by his service.
The deciding factor: The failure to obtain an opinion on the direct causation of COPD or another contributing condition by service was identified as a predecisional duty to assist error, necessitating remand for such an opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- COPD
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 21, 2025
- Citation
- A25090812
Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine
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