Asthma decisions — 2006

The veteran is seeking service connection for COPD, bronchial asthma, and a left lower lobe granuloma. He also seeks service connection for heart disease and depression secondary to his diabetes mellitus, all related to herbicide exposure during service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for asthma with hyperactive airway disease, finding that there is no competent medical evidence showing a current disability and linking it to his active military service or exposure to herbicides.

The Board found that the veteran's respiratory disorders, including asthma, were not incurred or aggravated during her active duty service and denied her claim for service connection.

The veteran's bronchial asthma and dysthymia are currently rated at 30 percent each, but the evidence does not support an increase in rating.

The Board found that the veteran's asthma and arthritis did not predate service, were not incurred or aggravated by service, and are not related to any in-service injury or disease. The VA examinations and medical records do not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Board found no evidence that the veteran's asthma was caused or aggravated by his military service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current diagnosis of asthma or residuals of a right hand fracture related to service. The veteran's claim for service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the veteran's exposure to asbestos during service and its potential connection to his current asthma diagnosis.

The Board found that the veteran does not have asbestosis or any other asbestos-related disease and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for sarcoidosis, refractive error (claimed as poor eyesight), asthma, bronchitis, bursitis of the left shoulder, mood disorder due to sarcoidosis and depression, rash, and hypertension are not established by the evidence of record. The conditions were either not caused by service or have no relationship to service.

The Board has ordered additional development to be completed, including obtaining medical records and opinions regarding the cause of death.

The Board has determined that the appellant is not entitled to an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected chronic allergic rhinosinusitis and bronchial asthma, as the evidence does not support a finding of near constant sinusitis or radical surgery with chronic osteomyelitis.

The veteran's request for a Board hearing has been addressed, and he is scheduled for a Video Conference hearing. The case will be returned to the RO for scheduling.

The Board has ordered a remand to clarify the examiner's assessment of the veteran's right ankle and to obtain his VA medical records from the San Juan VAMC.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render her unemployable, as she is able to work part-time and attend school.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and her claims for an increased disability rating for asthma and vocational rehabilitation benefits have been dismissed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's respiratory disorder is not due to disease or injury incurred in service and denied his claim for service connection. The initial rating for tinnitus remains at 10 percent.

The Board denied an increased rating for bronchial asthma with associated myotonic dystrophy, finding that the veteran's disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating. The temporary total rating based on hospitalization was also denied.

The Board has determined that the evidence received since the November 1976 decision is not new and material, and thus, the claim of service connection for asthma may not be reopened.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for asthma, finding that her condition did not worsen during active duty training and was pre-existing.