Asthma decisions — 2006

The Board found that the veteran's asthma existed prior to service and was not aggravated during service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death was asthma, which is not service-connected. The evidence does not support a finding that the veteran's asthma had its onset during his period of active service or is otherwise related to his military service.

The veteran is seeking a higher rating for her service-connected asthma, which was initially granted in May 2004. The RO has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for further examination.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by military service and may not be presumed to be of service onset. The evidence did not establish a relationship between her service-connected PTSD and her current diagnosis of hypertension.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for the claimed conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, bronchial asthma, degenerative joint disease of the right and left knees, headaches, and a low back disorder.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for bronchial asthma and is granting it on the basis that new evidence received since the last denial supports a finding of pre-existing asthma not aggravated by service.

The Board has granted a 60 percent rating for bronchial asthma effective October 28, 2003.

The veteran's bronchial asthma is currently rated at 10 percent, which meets the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, including COPD and asthma, due to herbicide exposure. The evidence did not show that the current respiratory disorders were incurred in or related to service.

The veteran's skin rash and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome were not found to be related to his military service. The claims for asthma, hypertension, arthritis, and tinea pedis were all denied as new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Board denied service connection for lymphoma, bronchial asthma, back disorder, and right knee disorder. The veteran's claim for lymphoma was denied due to lack of a current diagnosis. Service connection for the other conditions is also denied as there is no clear and unmistakable evidence that they were present prior to service or are otherwise related to service.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bronchial asthma, which was evaluated as 10 percent disabling since December 1957. The VA found that the veteran's condition did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under the revised criteria effective October 7, 1996.

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death (lung cancer and bronchial asthma) was not caused or contributed substantially to by any service-connected disability. The appellant did not meet the requirements for nonservice-connected death pension benefits, nor did she timely file her claim within one year after the veteran's death.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a skin condition and PTSD, finding no evidence of exposure to herbicides or in-service stressors. The claim for service connection for bronchial asthma is remanded due to procedural issues.

The veteran's claim for a temporary total rating based on hospitalization from June 8, 2004 to July 7, 2004 is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his VA hospital records.

The VA has granted a 30 percent disability rating for the veteran's bronchial asthma since September 4, 1997. The veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for pneumonia and a lung disability, including COPD, emphysema, and asthma. The decision stated that post-service diagnoses were not attributable to service.

The veteran's appeals for increased ratings for asthma and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been withdrawn. The Board does not have jurisdiction to consider the appeal.

The Board found that the veteran's pre-existing asthma existed prior to service and was not aggravated during service. Therefore, the presumption of soundness at entry into service is rebutted, and the claim for service connection for asthma is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including asthma, due to a lack of evidence linking his current diagnosis to his period of service.