Asthma decisions — 2003

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability related to any of the claimed conditions, and therefore service connection cannot be established.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of asthma related to his period of active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board finds that the appellant's exercise-induced asthma is likely attributable to his military service, specifically his period of active duty for training in Jordan from June 16 to July 2, 1994. Service connection is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and exposure to Agent Orange, finding no evidence of a current disability related to his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of asthma, finding that no contemporaneous documentation of a prior application was found and that the veteran did not provide evidence to support his contention that he filed an application with VA before November 18, 1998.

The Board found that the veteran's PPD test results and INH therapy did not constitute evidence of active tuberculosis during service. The claim for asthma was denied as there is no competent evidence showing it was aggravated by service. The eye disorder claim was also denied due to lack of medical evidence.

The Board determined that the veteran's preexisting asthma did not worsen during service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's current asthma and sinusitis are related to his active service, granting his claim for direct service connection.

The veteran withdrew his appeals, and the appeal is dismissed as no justiciable case or controversy remains.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bronchial asthma warrants a 30 percent rating, reflecting moderate severity. The issue of reopening his claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is also granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service connection claims for cardiovascular disorder (to include hypertension), peptic ulcer, asthma, numbness of the left side of the body, and residuals of a shrapnel wound to the back are all denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board found no evidence of asthma during service and ruled out a current diagnosis, concluding that the veteran's claimed condition is not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bronchial asthma is no more than 30 percent disabling, and thus does not meet the criteria for a restoration of a 60 percent rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for bronchial asthma and service connection for sleep apnea, finding that his sleep apnea was not related to his service-connected bronchial asthma.

The Board found that the appellant was not permanently incapable of self-support prior to reaching the age of 18, and thus is not entitled to VA benefits as the helpless child of the veteran.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his asthma, currently rated at 30 percent.

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

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence is not new and material, thus denying the veteran's requests to reopen his service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a respiratory disorder (to include bronchial asthma), and a gastrointestinal disorder (to include a duodenal ulcer).

The Board has granted service connection for bronchial asthma and denied service connection for tinea versicolor.

The veteran's exercise-induced asthma is currently rated at 30 percent, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with hiatal hernia at 10 percent, and plantar fasciitis with bilateral heel spurs at non-compensable. The appeals for higher ratings are granted.