The Board has granted service connection for respiratory disability (COPD), left hand disability (carpal tunnel syndrome), and right hand disability (carpal tunnel syndrome) due to the Veteran's credible testimony of symptoms during service, medical records confirming diagnoses, and the absence of any evidence contradicting a direct relationship between his military service and these conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's complaints of symptoms in-service and since service were credible, supported by VA treatment records, and there was no evidence to refute a direct link between his military service and the development of carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Claimed conditions
- respiratory disability (COPD), left hand disability (carpal tunnel syndrome), right hand disability (carpal tunnel syndrome)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- April 2, 2026
- Citation
- A26030442
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 A26030442.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, GERD, respiratory disability (COPD), obstructive sleep apnea, and prostate disability. The Board found no current diagnosed disabilities and insufficient evidence of an in-service event, injury, or disease.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for respiratory disability, to include COPD, and remanded the claims for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and heart disability.
- Partly granted
The Board denied the claims for a compensable rating for hypertension, an increased rating for a left ankle disability, service connection for chronic headaches and a neck injury, and remanded several other claims including service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, residuals of traumatic brain injury, erectile dysfunction, respiratory disability, right knee disability, and skin condition affecting the feet.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 100 percent rating for PTSD with traumatic brain injury from July 14, 2015 and remanded claims for service connection of various disabilities.
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