Asthma decisions — 2017

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 20 percent, and his obstructive sleep apnea with asthma is rated at 50 percent. The combined rating for these conditions is 70 percent, meeting the criteria for TDIU. However, the Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and retaining gainful employment for which he would otherwise be qualified.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and review due to the need for a new respiratory examination to determine the nature of any asthma-related disability, as well as the inextricability of his claims regarding depression secondary to asthma and individual unemployment.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of any diagnosed respiratory disability and whether it was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and a respiratory disorder, to include asthma. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his period of active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Asthma has been denied. The Board found that asthma was not incurred during service and is not attributable to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and asthma due to incomplete medical opinions regarding preexisting conditions and aggravation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's asthma and allergic rhinitis were not incurred or aggravated by his military service, as there is clear and unmistakable evidence showing they preexisted service.

The Veteran's asthma and PTSD are both found to be related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone were not severe enough to prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment prior to October 10, 2006.

The Veteran's respiratory disabilities (asthma, COPD, and granulomatous lung disease) were not incurred during service. The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation.

The Veteran's claims for sinusitis, angiomyolipoma, left kidney renal calculus, radial sensory neuritis, and right antecubital fossa have been denied as not related to service. The claims for COPD, seborrheic keratosis, and asthma are also denied due to lack of diagnosis during the appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for metabolic myopathy, obstructive sleep apnea, and a respiratory disorder (including restrictive lung disease and asthma), finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected asthma is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records.

The Veteran's sinus and respiratory conditions, including sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, bronchitis, asthma, nasal polyps, and exercise-induced asthma, are found to be related to her service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have asthma etiologically related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of asbestos exposure and clarification on the relationship between current respiratory conditions and service.

The Veteran's asthma is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of his asthma.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current left shoulder disorder, onychomycosis (toenail fungus), allergic rhinitis, sleep apnea, and asthma are related to service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung disorder, other than asthma, finding no current diagnosis of COPD or asbestosis and noting that her only respiratory diagnosis was asthma. The Board also found no evidence to support presumptive service connection under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.