Asthma decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of COPD is related to his service, and he is granted service connection for a pulmonary disability. The rating assigned for hemorrhoids remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and asthma are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew her increased rating claims for the listed disabilities and her claim for a TDIU before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's service-connected bronchial asthma renders him incapable of obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the claims of service connection for various disabilities, including a low back disability, respiratory disorders, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral hand disabilities. The VA will obtain medical records, provide new examinations, and consider the Veteran's complaints and history in determining the etiology of his conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, bilateral residuals of shin splints, a left shoulder disability, lower respiratory disease (bronchitis and asthma), and gastrointestinal disability (GERD/gastritis).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to effectively preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment for which the Veteran's education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him, thus granting TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for asthma and denied service connection for tinnitus and cervical spine disability. The Veteran's asthma is found to have had its inception during service, while her tinnitus and cervical spine disability are not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's death due to gastric carcinoma was not etiologically linked to his service or any incidents therein or his service-connected disabilities. The basic criteria for entitlement to dependency and indemnity compensation benefits pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 have not been met.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a pulmonary disability, including sleep apnea and sarcoidosis, is being remanded due to the need for an additional medical opinion regarding the etiology of his conditions.

The Veteran's asthma and acquired psychiatric disability are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on the issues of service connection for asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to a motion for withdrawal of the appeal submitted by his authorized representative.

The Board has granted service connection for a pulmonary disorder, to include COPD, sleep apnea, bronchitis, and asthma, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his in-service exposure to jet fuel.

The Board has granted service connection for right elbow (ulnar nerve) disability, hypertension, and a liver disorder to include hepatitis. Service connection was denied for the remaining conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for asthma and COPD with history of pneumonia and bronchitis was denied. The Board found that the earliest possible effective date is February 13, 2001 when he filed his initial claim.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA service. The Veteran's claims for psychiatric, thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral shoulder, headache and respiratory disorders are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches, respiratory disability, skin disability, and neck disability based on the Veteran's Persian Gulf War service. The right ear pain claim was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was granted effective October 17, 2012. The effective date is based on the most recent VA examination conducted on that day.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have an asthma disability at any point during the period on appeal and therefore denied his claim for service connection for asthma. The issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD or schizoaffective disorder, is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.