Asbestosis decisions — 2020

The Board has denied service connection for the Veteran's lower back condition and remanded the respiratory condition claim due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure to asbestos during service.

The Board has granted a rating of 30 percent for service-connected asbestosis as of March 15, 2016. Service connection for tinnitus is also granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of asbestosis due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service noise exposure, while his asbestosis requires further development and examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's pulmonary disability, specifically whether it is related to his military service, including exposure to asbestos, sulfuric acid vapors, and chlorine gas.

The Veteran's asbestosis is rated at 60 percent, effective July 1, 2011. The Board also granted the Veteran a TDIU prior to September 9, 2015.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an adequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's COPD and in-service asbestos exposure, Cadmium inhalation or other welding-fume exposure. The VA examiner is requested to provide opinions on whether the Veteran had an asbestos-related disease that was related to service and substantially contributed to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for asbestosis and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his respiratory symptoms were not related to his asbestosis and that he did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if service connection can be established for ischemic heart disease, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), anxiety, and depression, and a lung disability.

The Veteran's service-connected asbestosis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for asbestosis and dismissed his claim for service connection for biapical pleural parenchymal thickening. The Board found no evidence of asbestosis, and thus denied service connection for that condition.

The Veteran's asbestosis is rated at 30 percent, and the Board has remanded to obtain a VA examination for an updated assessment of his condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to conflicting information in previous VA examinations and inadequate post-bronchodilator testing. The Veteran's asbestosis disability is rated under 38 C.F.R. § 4.97, Diagnostic Code 6833.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability, including tuberculosis and asbestosis, and hypertension. The Veteran's current respiratory disability is not supported by the evidence of record, and his hypertension was noted prior to active duty and did not increase during any period of service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, including emphysema and COPD, as there was no evidence of asbestos exposure during service or that his current conditions are related to military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his exposure to hazardous materials and the relationship between his claimed conditions and service.

The Veteran's asbestosis is rated at 0% due to its asymptomatic nature and no limitation of pulmonary functioning, which are attributed to his nonservice-connected COPD.

The Board has vacated the previous decision denying service connection for pulmonary fibrosis (asbestosis) as a result of asbestos exposure, but still denies the claim under the new appeal process. The Veteran's lung disease is not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability and basic eligibility for education benefits since May 1, 2008 due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for asbestosis of the lungs, polymyalgia rheumatica, and acquired hemophilia due to asbestos exposure because the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory condition related to asbestos exposure, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted. The respiratory claim is denied as the Veteran does not have a current respiratory disability related to asbestos exposure. The hearing loss claim is denied as he does not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations. The tinnitus claim is granted.