Asthma decisions — 2001

The veteran's claim of service connection for asthma is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bronchial asthma and an increased evaluation for his inactive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). The Board found that bronchial asthma was not present in service or later, and it is not causally related to PTB. The current respiratory problems are attributed to non-service-connected bronchial asthma.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, bronchial asthma, atypical chest pain, and a personality disorder. The decision is based on the lack of legal merit in these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and peripheral neuropathy, both determined to be directly related to service. Service connection was also granted for asthma with a rating of 30 percent. The bipolar disorder issue is moot as service connection was granted on a direct basis.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's asthma to his active service and denied service connection.

The veteran's claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was granted with an effective date of February 11, 2000. The veteran's daughter is also eligible for Dependent's Educational Assistance under Chapter 35.

The Board found that the veteran's current asthma is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for asthma, finding that his preexisting asthma did not increase in disability during his honorable period of active service from November 1979 to October 1983.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for asthma, finding that there was no evidence linking her current diagnosis to service or any known clinical diagnoses.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic lung disorder during service and denied the claim as there was insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between any current asthma and active duty.

The veteran's claim of service connection for asthma has been denied, and since the veteran died during the appeal process, his widow cannot proceed with the case.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability and denied the claim.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bronchial asthma was denied by the RO. The case is being returned to the RO for additional development of the record, including obtaining a copy of a June 1997 pulmonary function testing report and arranging for a VA examination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea and chronic respiratory/pulmonary disability, variously diagnosed as asthma, emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The case is being remanded to complete necessary development.

The veteran's service-connected bronchial asthma does not render him unemployable due to the severity of his disability.

The Board denied service connection for a psychophysiologic gastrointestinal reaction in August 1970. The veteran's bronchial asthma is currently rated at 30 percent, and the RO has requested additional VA examination to determine if an increased evaluation is warranted.

The veteran's service-connected disc degeneration, L5/S1, was granted a 40 percent evaluation effective July 1, 2000. His allergic asthma and chondromalacia patella (left knee) were not rated higher.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for asthma due to a lack of evidence demonstrating current disability. The issues of initial compensable evaluations for hiatal hernia, irritable bowel syndrome, cervicitis with dysplasia, right foot disorder and stress incontinence will be addressed in the remand portion of this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to his service-connected ischemic heart disease, which contributed substantially or materially to his death. The DIC claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is not addressed as the primary issue has been resolved in favor of the appellant.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for cause of death, but it is not established that the veteran's death was related to symptoms experienced during captivity.