Asthma decisions — 2011

The Board found that the Veteran's current respiratory disorder was not caused by asbestos exposure during service and is not otherwise related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and tinnitus, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence of pre-existing conditions and insufficient medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied service connection for joint aching and swelling in April 2003. The Veteran's claim was reopened, but new evidence did not meet the criteria to reopen the claim as his symptoms do not meet the manifest to a degree of 10 percent or more requirement. Service connection for respiratory disorder (bronchial asthma) is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a video hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates were denied. The Board found that the diabetes mellitus did not warrant an evaluation in excess of 20 percent, as it only required a restricted diet and insulin.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence linking the current psychiatric disorder to his service, and concluded that the asthma and allergic rhinitis did not warrant higher disability evaluations.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for asthma. The August 1971 rating decision denying service connection is final.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple conditions, including asthma and bronchiectasis, sleep apnea, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, gastrointestinal issues, erectile dysfunction, and diabetes. The claims are related to service connection for these conditions based on exposure to Agent Orange during active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bronchial asthma has been reopened, but the VA has not granted service connection on the merits. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50% and his hearing loss disability does not meet a compensable rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's respiratory symptoms, including asthma and allergic rhinitis, were due to his service-connected chronic rhinitis. The VA examiner determined that the Veteran does not have asthma and attributed his dyspnea to upper airway hypersensitivity and congestion.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bronchial asthma and found that new and material evidence has been presented. The Board also determined that bronchial asthma was incurred in active service, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for median neuropathy of the left wrist is denied as there is no credible evidence linking his current condition to his military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a lung condition including COPD, asthma and bronchiectasis and for hernia, status-post surgical repair. The claim to reopen was denied as new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. Service connection for hernia was also denied.

The Board denied reopening previously denied claims of entitlement to service connection for bronchial asthma and bilateral hearing loss due to lack of new and material evidence. The Veteran argues that there was CUE in this decision, but the Board found no CUE.

The Veteran's asthma secondary to pneumonia and tobacco usage was granted service connection with a 30 percent disability evaluation effective September 9, 1993. The case is now remanded for further review.

The Veteran's asthma was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, and the Board is remanding this claim for a higher rating of DDD of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a videoconference hearing at the Atlanta RO due to his inability to travel.

The Veteran's sleep apnea with restrictive lung disease is rated at 60 percent, the highest available rating under Diagnostic Code 6602 for bronchial asthma.

The Board found that the Veteran's asbestosis was incurred in service and granted service connection for this condition. The claims of service connection for bronchitis and asthma were also granted, with the reasoning being that these conditions are related to asbestos exposure during service.

The Veteran's asthma with sleep apnea is rated at 60 percent disabling, and the appeal for a separate rating for sleep apnea has been denied.