Lead
164 published decisions mention Lead. Most of them are deciding other claims at the same time, so the table below is narrower on purpose: it counts only the 103 individual issues where the claim itself was tied to this exposure. This is a non-presumptive agent, the medical link must be proven case by case, so these Board rulings are the roadmap.
What the Board has tied to Lead
Each row: a condition claimed as related to Lead, how many issues the Board ruled on, and the granted / denied / remanded split. Click a condition to see its code page, criteria, and the decisions.
What these numbers count: 164 decisions MENTION Lead; of the issues inside them, 103 were actually tied to this exposure, and 34 of those appear in the table. An issue the Board decided under two conditions appears in both rows, so the rows add up to 49. A further 53 conditions came up too few times to chart (fewer than 5 issues each, 69 issues in total) and are not listed, because a single case cannot show a pattern.
| Condition | Issues | Granted | Denied | Rem. | Grant % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease DC 6604 | 20 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 30% |
| Emphysema, pulmonary DC 6603 | 13 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 17% |
| Hypertensive vascular disease (hypertension and isolated systolic hypertension) DC 7101 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | – |
| Asthma, bronchial DC 6602 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – |
| Toxic nephropathy (antibotics, radiocontrast agents, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, heavy metals, and similar agents) DC 7535 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | – |
Read the Board decisions that mention Lead ↗
What the science says about Lead
Lead is a toxic metal encountered in lead-based paint, solder, batteries, firing-range dust, radiator repair, and lead-lined equipment. It is absorbed by breathing dust or fume and by ingestion, and stores in bone for years.
Health effects documented in the toxicology literature
- Nervous system: Cognitive and peripheral-nerve effects; even lower-level chronic exposure affects the adult nervous system.
- Kidneys: Chronic lead exposure can cause kidney damage.
- Cardiovascular: Associated with elevated blood pressure (hypertension).
- Blood: Interferes with red-blood-cell production, contributing to anemia.
Cancer classification: Inorganic lead compounds: IARC Group 2A (probably carcinogenic to humans).
Latency: Lead stored in bone can affect health long after the exposure ends.
ATSDR Toxic Substances Portal (search this substance) ↗ (public-domain, US ATSDR)
Common questions
Is Lead a presumptive exposure?
No. Unlike Agent Orange, burn pits, or Camp Lejeune, Lead carries no automatic (presumptive) service connection. You have to prove the medical link yourself, usually with a nexus opinion, which is exactly why how the Board has ruled on it matters.
Why do so many of these conditions show denials?
The granted / denied counts reflect the mix of cases where Lead comes up and how hard each link is to prove, not the merit of any one claim. A denial often means the file lacked a medical opinion tying the condition to the exposure, or proof of the exposure itself, not that the condition can never be connected.
How do I show I was exposed to Lead?
Service records, your military job (MOS), unit history, and buddy statements can establish the exposure; a medical opinion then connects it to the diagnosed condition. This page reports Board outcomes and is not legal or medical advice, a VSO representative can help with your specific case.
Related Tools and Guides
RateMyVSO. Educational aggregate of published Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions plus public-domain toxicology (ATSDR). Not affiliated with the VA. Not legal or medical advice. Whether any exposure caused any condition in a specific case is a medical and legal question, a VSO representative can help.