Asbestosis decisions — 2012

The Veteran's claims for asbestos-related lung disability and initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining post-service occupational records of asbestos exposure, scheduling a VA examination, and ensuring that all questions posed in the examination reports have been addressed.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to asbestos during his military service and whether his asbestosis is related to this exposure. The case is therefore REMANDED for further action.

The Board has reopened your claims for service connection for a right ear disorder and asbestosis, but denied them on the merits.,Your claim for callosities of the feet remains inadmissible.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for clarification on whether the Veteran has asbestosis and its relationship to service. The case will be further adjudicated after obtaining necessary medical opinions.

The Board found that the reduction of a 60 percent rating for bilateral pleural plaques due to asbestos exposure to a noncompensable (0 percent) rating effective April 1, 2008 was proper. The Veteran's COPD is not service-connected.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability, including tuberculosis and an asbestos-related disease, is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asbestosis is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of his claims file.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to a May 2012 letter indicating he no longer wishes to pursue his claims.

The Veteran's service-connected asbestosis with restrictive disease prevents him from securing and following substantially gainful employment due to his lung disease, but he is not precluded from all forms of employment.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung disability, but finds that further development is needed before deciding the merits of the case.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including a VA examination for spine issues, lung problems, pancreatitis, and post-operative lipoma residuals. The Veteran will also be asked to provide any relevant private medical records.

The Veteran's hypertension has been shown to require medication for its control, warranting a noncompensable initial evaluation.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) has determined that the Veteran does not have asbestosis or any other chronic respiratory disorder, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination for COPD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's fatal myocardial infarction was caused by his service-connected COPD, and therefore grants service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed asthma, which is currently claimed as a respiratory condition. The claim will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asbestosis is being remanded due to outstanding medical records and exposure information. A VA examination will be conducted to determine the nature of his lung disability and its relationship to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected bronchogenic carcinoma, which was aggravated by his civilian asbestos exposure. The cause of death is therefore service connected.

The Veteran's claim for an initial, compensable disability rating for pleural plaques, claimed as asbestos-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is being remanded due to unclear diagnoses and the need for additional medical examination.