Asbestosis decisions — 2008

The appeal is remanded for additional development and a VA medical opinion to address the etiology of the veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for asbestosis, finding that the most probative evidence indicated he does not currently have asbestosis.

The veteran's claim for service connection for asbestos-related lung disease was remanded for additional development and adjudication.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, asbestosis, and did not reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for chronic heart disease.

The Board denied service connection for asbestosis and right-sided brain damage, finding no evidence of a nexus between the veteran's current conditions and his period of active duty.

The Board denied service connection for asbestosis or an asbestos-related disability, finding no evidence of the condition and noting that the veteran's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was not related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating and service connection, finding no evidence of a compensable disability or conditions as claimed.

The Board granted service connection for asbestosis based on a nexus between asbestos exposure in service and the current respiratory disability.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling of a travel board hearing.

The veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and a respiratory disorder, including as due to asbestos exposure, are being remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for asbestosis, finding no evidence of the condition and no relationship between the veteran's service and a current lung disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for asbestosis with pleural plaques, finding that his pulmonary impairment was due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and not related to service-connected conditions.

The Board determined that the appellant's claims for service connection and an initial compensable evaluation for hypertension were not supported by the evidence of record.

The veteran's respiratory disorder (bilateral pleural plaques and calcifications due to asbestos exposure) was evaluated as noncompensable, and the Board found that a compensable rating is not warranted based on the post-bronchodilator pulmonary function test results.

The Board denied service connection for pulmonary asbestosis and asbestos related pleural disease, finding that the disorder was not caused by any incident of service, including alleged asbestos exposure.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a lung condition, to include asbestosis, and mononeuropathy multiplex were denied because the evidence did not show that his conditions were related to his military service.

The veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for asbestosis was granted, but the Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to July 14, 2004.,From July 14, 2004 to May 19, 2005, the veteran's condition improved slightly, warranting an initial 60 percent disability rating. However, from May 19, 2005 onwards, his asbestosis worsened significantly, qualifying for a 100 percent disability rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of evidence regarding asbestos exposure during service. The veteran's claim for service connection is now pending and will be reviewed again with additional information.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have asbestosis, and therefore service connection for this condition is denied. The issue of asbestos-related pleural plaques remains pending.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied. The Board found that the veteran did not have a current disability for hearing loss, residuals of a left hamstring strain, contact dermatitis, periodontal disease, or a strain of the left knee muscle. Hemorrhoids and vision loss (myopia and astigmatism) are not service-connected as they do not meet the criteria for VA compensation.,The veteran's claim for high cholesterol was withdrawn prior to decision.