Asthma decisions — 2008

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected chronic bronchitis is being remanded due to insufficient examination findings. The examiner did not provide supporting rationale for their opinions and there is a lack of clarity regarding the relationship between the veteran's respiratory disorders, excluding COPD, and active service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased rating for bronchial asthma and service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and lumbar strain with degenerative changes. The examiner found no direct service connection for GERD or lumbar strain, nor did they find that these conditions were proximately due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bronchial asthma was not incurred in or aggravated during active service, and thus denied her claim for service connection. The issue of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is addressed in a separate REMAND portion.

The VA Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran does not have asthma that is related to his military service and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for sinusitis and asthma due to incomplete records from his National Guard service. The RO/AMC is instructed to obtain all relevant medical records, including those from 1958-1963, and then readjudicate the claims.

The Board has granted service connection for bronchial asthma, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to service. Service connection for pneumonia was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of asthma, migraine headaches, chronic fatigue syndrome, or GERD. The evidence does not support service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board found that the appellant's respiratory and cardiovascular disabilities did not have their onset during service or within one year of separation, and are not etiologically related to his military service. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for recurrent bronchitis with recurrent asthma and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent or any compensable evaluation. The arthritis claim was not addressed as it pertained to an issue other than service connection.

The veteran's claim for service connection for asthma is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a VA examination.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for bronchial asthma and lumbosacral strain, as well as a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, have been denied because the veteran failed to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board denied an evaluation higher than the current 30 percent for asthma and did not grant a TDIU, finding that the veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for further development, including an examination and notification of rating criteria.

The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred from September 17, 2002 to September 19, 2002 were denied as the treatment was not for a service-connected disability and no emergency condition existed.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The claim for service connection for asthma is REMANDED due to conflicting medical opinions.

The veteran does not have a current right ankle or tibia/fibula disability related to his military service.,There is no evidence of a current residual disability from the in-service right tibia/fibula fracture.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have chronic asthma related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations and service connection were denied. The VA found that his migraine headaches, osteoarthritis of the right ankle, asthma, allergic rhinitis with sinusitis, hypertension, residuals of a nose fracture, anemia, diverticulosis, and narcissistic personality disorder did not warrant increased ratings or service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bronchial asthma and denied entitlement to an effective date prior to July 24, 1997, for a TDIU.

The Board granted service connection for asthma and radiculopathy of the left leg, but denied a higher initial disability rating for residuals of right ankle fracture. The veteran's asthma was rated at 30 percent disabling from June 25, 2005, and his radiculopathy of the left leg was rated as 10 percent disabling from February 3, 2004.