Asthma decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a supplemental examination to address whether the Veteran's bronchial asthma pre-existed service or was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to obtain or maintain a substantially gainful occupation as of December 13, 2000, the date his back disability met the criteria for a 40 percent rating. The effective date is set at December 13, 2000.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and further development of his claims, including a determination on whether he is entitled to a TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating for bronchial asthma and 38 U.S.C.A. ¶ 1151 compensation for ruptured appendix, abdominal hernia, scars, and abdominal deformity were denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for low back disorder, asthma, PTSD, knee disorders, ankle disorders, shoulder disorders, bilateral pes planus, and hypertension have been granted with initial disability ratings effective October 1, 2007.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for asthma cannot be granted as there is no new and material evidence presented since the April 1990 denial.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and consideration of the claims, including obtaining VA treatment records from Richmond VAMC related to psychiatric hospitalization in November-December 2010.

The Board found that the Veteran's COPD and other respiratory disorders are not related to his active service, as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to any in-service disease or injury. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for uterine fibroids, menorrhagia, and asthma.,Other gynecological disorders are not currently addressed in this decision.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing asthma was aggravated by military service, and granted service connection for bronchial asthma.

The Veteran's net worth does not constitute a bar to receipt of nonservice-connected pension benefits due to his and his wife's current financial situation, life expectancy, and health status.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining inpatient clinical records from a hospital in DaNang where the Veteran reportedly received treatment for breathing problems in January 1970 and scheduling him for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his current asthma.

The Veteran's asthma was noted on entry into service and has been treated since then. The VA examiner concluded that the current respiratory problems are not related to his active service or aggravated by such.

The Board is remanding the case due to the appellant's request for a personal hearing. The claim will be returned to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) in Washington, DC.

The Veteran's asthma was granted a 30 percent evaluation effective March 26, 2008. The previous 10 percent rating is maintained for the period prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records, scheduling a VA examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's asthma, and obtaining updated private physician records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO/AMC for scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO. The claims for service connection, increased evaluation, and TDIU will be further processed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bronchial asthma, seizure disorder (secondary to bronchial asthma), and chronic heart disease (secondary to bronchial asthma) are being remanded due to the need for further review by the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of new evidence. The issues of service connection for asthma and a higher initial rating for tinnitus are still pending.

The Veteran seeks to reopen his previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for asthma, which he asserts pre-existed service and was aggravated therein. The RO most recently denied the claim in November 2005. As a result, the matter is being remanded to the RO.