Asbestosis Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, including asbestosis, COPD, bronchitis, and emphysema, finding no evidence of asbestos exposure or related disability.

Service connection for back pain and chest pain/sinus ventricular tachycardia was denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection for psychiatric disability (schizophrenia) was granted based on new evidence indicating a link to service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to missing audiogram results and clarification of word recognition scores, as well as obtaining relevant private healthcare records.

The Board has granted service connection for asbestosis and remanded the issue of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and asbestosis disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to January 21, 2011. The Board granted entitlement to TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for pleural plaques and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to incomplete development of records.

The Board has granted an initial 10 percent rating for pleural plaques, also claimed as asbestosis, effective from July 13, 2012.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied service connection for asbestosis, finding that the Veteran's MOS of ship's cook and gunman had a minimal risk of asbestos exposure. The opinion also considered his work in a sheet metal factory but concluded that working there posed a greater risk of asbestos exposure than his military duties.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for various conditions, including a cervical spine disability and peripheral neuropathy in multiple extremities. The Veteran's claims are pending further examination and review.

The Veteran's asbestosis has worsened since his last VA examination in 2017, and he is being asked to provide updated treatment records. He will also be scheduled for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his disability.

The Veteran's hypertension and asbestosis have been granted service connection. The decision on sleep apnea is pending.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 60 percent for asbestosis with COPD is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of newly received evidence.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for asbestosis with pulmonary nodules, finding that the Veteran's FVC and DLCO did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has granted service connection for asbestos-related lung disease, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his exposure to asbestos during military service.

The Veteran's asbestosis was rated at 10 percent and the Board found that a higher rating is not warranted based on his pulmonary function tests. The claim for TDIU was denied because the Veteran did not meet the schedular requirements, but the Board could not find evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities alone.

The Board has remanded the cases for a new VA examination to consider the Veteran's private physician's letter that suggests his current respiratory conditions may be related to his in-service asbestos exposure.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations. The Veteran's psychiatric claim is also remanded as new evidence suggests a DSM-5 diagnosis may be warranted.

The Veteran's asbestosis with emphysema prior to September 30, 2019 was not rated higher than 60 percent due to lack of specific lung function criteria being met.

The Board has dismissed all issues related to the Veteran's claims, including an increased rating for asbestos-related pleural plaques and service connection for a left knee condition.