Asthma decisions — 2003

The Board denied service connection for a skin disorder due to exposure to Agent Orange and bronchial asthma, finding no evidence of such conditions during or related to service. The veteran's duodenal ulcer was rated at 10%.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's service-connected conditions to his death, and denied both claims for service connection for cause of death and eligibility for Chapter 35 educational assistance.

The veteran's anxiety disorder is found to be aggravated by his service-connected bronchial asthma, and he is granted a higher rating for his asthma. The earlier effective date claim for TDIU remains unresolved.

The veteran's claimed pulmonary disorders, including bronchitis, hyperventilation, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and emphysema, were not shown to have had their onset during active service or be related to any in-service event. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim for reopening a service connection for asthma and his request for an increased rating for the right hand fracture are both being remanded for further development.

The VA denied the appellant's claim for service connection for asthma, concluding that there is no evidence linking his current respiratory disorders to his military service.

The VA has denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for bronchial asthma, as the current disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under either the old or new rating criteria.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions of allergies, sinus headaches, and asthma are not service-connected as there is no evidence showing their onset during active duty or continuity of symptomatology. The veteran's reported undiagnosed illness resulting in intermittent numbness, muscle aches, fatigue, and other symptoms was also denied due to lack of objective medical evidence.

The veteran's service-connected conditions have been granted initial disability ratings of 10 percent each. The appeal for the Raynaud's syndrome issue is pending.

The veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease, T12-S1, was denied an increased evaluation. His service-connected right knee and left knee disabilities were granted increased evaluations of 40% and 10%, respectively. The veteran's history of asthma was granted a 30% evaluation.

The Board found the veteran's claim for service connection for asthma (claimed as residual of exposure to mustard gas) well grounded and remanded it, but ultimately denied the claim due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for bronchial asthma and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for verification of certain records and medical history, including treatment records from February 1987 and any civilian asthma treatment prior to service. The case will be readjudicated after these records are obtained.

The Board denied service connection for heart disease, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis. The claim of defective vision was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim of residuals of a fracture of the right femur was reopened but still denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for asthma and to reopen his claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus. The decision found that asthma was not incurred or aggravated during service, and that there was no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for bilateral pes planus.

The veteran's service-connected headaches and asthma are rated at 50% and 30%, respectively, resulting in a combined rating of 70%. The Board has granted an increased rating for the headaches to 50%, and has also granted entitlement to TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for multiple joint arthritis and asthma, finding that there is no clear and unmistakable evidence of pre-existing conditions during service or within a year thereafter. The Board also found that there was no medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board found no evidence of a causal link between the veteran's service and his current bronchial asthma, with history of bronchitis. The claim was denied.