Asthma decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that the Veteran's asthma and bronchitis were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's asthma existed prior to service and was not aggravated during service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for asthma is denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hemorrhoids, asthma, or chest pains related to his military service. Therefore, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current asthma is not etiologically linked to his service-connected deviated septum, and thus service connection for asthma cannot be granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a lung contusion, other than bronchitis. The appeal is based on the Veteran's contention that his current respiratory conditions are related to his in-service lung contusion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's COPD and asthma are not related to service exposure to asbestos, and his heart disease and hypertension are not related to service. The acquired psychiatric disorder is also not related to service.

The Veteran's initial claim for asbestosis was granted, but he is seeking a higher evaluation.,Effective August 18, 2008, the Veteran received a 10% rating for his service-connected asbestosis.

The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at 60 percent, but the Board finds that her condition does not warrant a higher rating based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's bronchitis, COPD, and asthma are all found to be related to service. The Board has determined that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for various conditions is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining his personnel file and records of exposure in service or jobs, to include asbestos, herbicides, mustard gas, VX gas, white phosphorous or other caustic chemicals. The Veteran must also be afforded a VA examination.

The Veteran's asthma and vocal cord dysfunction are found to have started during service, but the Board is unable to determine if they were caused by military service. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for service-connected asthma is being remanded due to the need for additional private medical records and consideration of staged ratings.

The Veteran's reactive airway disease/asthma does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 6602, as his pulmonary function test results do not indicate FEV-1 of 40 to 55 percent predicted or FEV-1/FVC of 40 to 55 percent. The Veteran's condition is currently rated at 30 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected bronchial asthma is currently rated at 30 percent, and he contends that his condition has worsened. The VA has ordered more aggressive treatment but the current status of his asthma needs to be assessed.

The Board found no nexus between the Veteran's current respiratory disabilities and his service, including exposure to herbicides. The preponderance of evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's symptoms were related to his in-service duties or exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication due to incomplete information provided in prior denials of service connection claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA and VAMC records, scheduling a VA respiratory examination, and ensuring compliance with the procedures outlined in 38 C.F.R. § 20.702.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis and asthma, finding that these conditions had their onset during active service.

The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and the Board denied service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has granted service connection for asthma. The Veteran's cataracts are being remanded to determine if they are related to his service-connected asthma.