Asthma decisions — 2007

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic respiratory disability, including bronchitis, hypoxemia, and asthma-like illness, which the examiner concluded was caused by rubella infection in service.

The veteran is entitled to an effective date of February 24, 1969 for the award of a 10 percent rating for asthma.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development regarding outside treatment records and a possible medical opinion on aggravation.

The Board has determined that the evidence currently of record is sufficient to establish the veteran's entitlement to service connection for asthma.

The veteran's asthma is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating of 30 percent is warranted based on daily inhalational therapy.

The Board found that the veteran's pre-existing asthma did not increase in severity during service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The VA has determined that the veteran's asthma does not meet the criteria for a higher rating than 30 percent.

The veteran's employment as a full-time file room clerk at the VA Medical Center renders him unemployable for pension purposes, and his claim is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran is not entitled to an effective date earlier than September 9, 2002 for service-connected asthma. The claims of entitlement to service connection for irritable bowel syndrome and depression are remanded for additional development.

The veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, and the appellant is not eligible for nonservice-connected death pension benefits.

The veteran died from bronchial asthma and did not have service in the United States Armed Forces. Therefore, he is not eligible for burial benefits.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, specifically paranoid schizophrenia. The appellant's asthma was not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board found no evidence of PTSD and denied service connection for the other conditions. The heart disorder, diabetes mellitus, and respiratory condition were not shown to be related to service.

The Board found that the veteran's bronchial asthma is not related to his service, including a single day of burn duty. The claim for secondary service connection based on herbicide exposure was remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from SSA and scheduling an examination. The appellant's claims are also being reviewed to ensure compliance with VCAA requirements.

The Board found that the veteran's lung disorder, diagnosed as asthma and suspected sarcoidosis, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The VA examination reports did not support a connection to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD, depression, asthma, or a skin disorder (to include dermatitis and acne), or buttock fistula. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The veteran's service-connected bronchial asthma is currently rated at 60 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 6602. The VA has determined that his symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation based on the criteria set forth in the Rating Schedule.

The VA has denied the veteran's claim for service connection as his bronchial asthma was first diagnosed years after service and there is no competent, objective evidence of a nexus to his military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims of service connection for sinusitis, nasal polyps, and asthma. The Board found that new evidence supports these claims, including medical opinions linking the conditions to his military service.