The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for pulmonary fibrosis has been dismissed due to their passing before a decision was made.
The deciding factor: The Veteran passed away during the pendency of the appeal, making it impossible for the Board to make a decision on the merits.
- Claimed conditions
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 18, 2026
- Citation
- A26015020
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 A26015020.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
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 remanded the claim of entitlement to SMC based on the need for aid and attendance for the Veteran's spouse due to conflicting information in the June 2025 examination. A VA examination is needed to determine if the spouse requires regular aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability.,The Veteran did not meet the qualifications for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a respiratory disorder, including claims related to asbestos exposure and claimed ionizing radiation exposure. The evidence did not support a link between any in-service exposures and the current diagnoses.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and medical opinions to determine the severity of his back scars, lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and SMC based on aid and attendance.
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