Asbestosis decisions — 2011

The Veteran's lung disorder, including asbestosis, pleural plaques, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is being remanded for further evaluation due to the need for additional medical records and a more definitive VA opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, coronary disease with dilated cardiomyopathy, residuals of frostbite, headaches, shoulder disability, and depression/anxiety. The claim for an eye disability was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, disability of both hips, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, asbestos exposure, and tuberculosis are all granted. The Veteran is assigned a 30 percent rating for his cervical spine disability since March 26, 2008.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have asbestosis due to service and denied his claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evaluation of his asbestosis to determine if a higher rating is warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current COPD and asbestosis are not related to his military service, including exposure to asbestos. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected asbestosis and differentiate it from any non-service-connected symptoms.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a bilateral eye disability, asbestosis, hepatitis C, arthritis of all joints, sinusitis, HIV, and recurrent pneumonia. The Board also denied his claim for an increased rating for residuals of a chip fracture of the right thumb.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and records to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and pulmonary asbestosis with asthma and COPD.

The Board denied service connection for asbestosis and bilateral lung disorder due to lack of evidence connecting the conditions to service.