Asthma decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bronchial asthma and bilateral pes planus were denied. The claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 1 is being remanded to the RO.

The Board found that the Veteran's asthma preexisted service and was not aggravated by service, thus granting her claim for service connection.

The Veteran claims service connection for a lung disability, including asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and asbestosis, due to asbestos exposure during active military service. The case is remanded for further evaluation of the Veteran's current respiratory disabilities and determination of their relationship to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and consideration of his employability due to service-connected disabilities. The case will be returned to the Board after additional development.

The Veteran's asthma with chest pain and migraine headaches are related to her period of military service, while the remaining claims have been withdrawn.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for asthma, bilateral pes planus valgus, and hypertension are denied as there is no evidence of impairment warranting a higher rating under VA's schedular criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's asthma is reasonably shown to have been caused by her service-connected atopic dermatitis, and therefore grants secondary service connection for asthma.

The Veteran's asthma is service-connected, and he was granted a noncompensable rating for his diastasis recti status post hernia. The Veteran received a 10 percent rating for his bilateral tinea pedis prior to September 27, 2010, and a higher rating since then.

The Veteran's death was caused by cardiac arrest due to respiratory failure, myocardial infarction and colon cancer. The VA physician is requested to determine if his service-connected bronchial asthma contributed to or hastened the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from Klamath Falls and readjudicating the issues on service connection.

The Veteran's original claim for service connection for asthma and bronchitis was denied in September 1972 due to a pre-existing condition. The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented, thus the claim remains denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma, emphysema, and COPD. The evidence presented since the last denial shows that these conditions may have preexisted service but were aggravated by active duty. However, there is no clear and unmistakable evidence to rebut this presumption of aggravation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of clear and unmistakable error in various rating decisions are mixed, with some issues being granted and others denied. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a variety of conditions including flatfeet/pes planus, neck muscle strain, wrist disorders, arthritis, cervical spine disorder, carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral vascular disease, asthma, rhinitis, sleep apnea, conjunctivitis, hyperlipidemia, and sinusitis.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be incurred during active duty service, and his asthma is not attributable to active military service.

Service connection for frostbite injury of the left and right feet was granted with an initial disability rating of 30 percent effective September 15, 2000.

The Veteran is not rendered unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment as a result of her service-connected disabilities, and the Board finds that the criteria for TDIU have not been met for any period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including tinea pedis, refractive error of the eyes, dislocated thumbs, depression/psychiatric disorder, asthma, and a back disorder are mixed. The evidence presented since final decisions is considered new and material in some cases but not others.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, diagnosed as COPD, emphysema, and asthma, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records.

The Veteran's asthma has increased in severity since the removal of Singulair from his medication list. The VA is remanding the case for a new examination to determine the current disability level and for obtaining private medical treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bronchitis with asthmatic attacks and hypertension was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on current disability, as there is no objective evidence of current chest pain or a disability related to her claimed chest pain apart from already service-connected conditions. For her hypertension, the 10% evaluation assigned was deemed appropriate given the Veteran's history and current findings.