Asthma decisions — 2017

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for an effective date of January 22, 1994, for the award of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran's increased rating claim for asthma with bronchitis and sleep apnea is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to evaluate his pulmonary and/or respiratory disorders, including COPD; bronchial asthma; chronic airway obstruction; and chronic obstructive asthma, unspecified. The examiner will address the etiology of these conditions and whether they are related to service.

The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at 30 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as his pulmonary function tests do not show FEV-1 of 56-70% predicted or FEV-1/FVC of 56-70%, nor does he require intermittent courses of systemic corticosteroids or immuno-suppressants, at least monthly physician visits for care of exacerbations, or more than one attack per week with episodes of respiratory failure. His asthma symptoms are well-documented and do not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma was denied as there is no current diagnosis of a chronic asthma disability.

The Veteran's sleep apnea and asthma were not incurred in service and are not otherwise related to service. The Board found that the conditions are diagnosable with known causes, and there is no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and Gulf War service or undiagnosed illness.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including the provision of VA examinations to address the nature and etiology of his claimed respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurological, orthopedic, and psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's asthma is found to be related to her in-service motor vehicle accident, and she is granted service connection for a respiratory disability. The right shoulder strain with degenerative changes is also found to be related to service, resulting in a grant of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his asthma condition.

The Veteran failed to report for scheduled VA examinations, resulting in the denial of his claims for increased ratings and service connection.

The Veteran's asthma was not incurred in service and was not otherwise related to service. The Board finds there has been substantial compliance with prior remand directives such that an additional remand is unnecessary.

The Veteran is seeking an increased disability rating for his service-connected respiratory disability, to include COPD and asthma. The Board finds that a remand is necessary to ensure there is a complete record upon which to decide the Veteran's claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's respiratory disorder, including asthma. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a respiratory disorder that includes bronchitis, asthma, and chronic cough.

The Veteran's bronchial asthma is currently rated at 30 percent, and the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's type 2 diabetes mellitus and asthma are not related to service, including exposure to Agent Orange or other hazardous materials. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for bronchial pneumonia and asthma, finding that new evidence supports a reopening of his claims. The Board also found that the Veteran's condition likely preexisted service but was aggravated by in-service events.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of heart disorder, bilateral knee disorder, respiratory disorder (claimed as asthma with obstructive lung disease), visual impairment, or bilateral hearing loss. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and asthma due to incomplete development, including a need for VA medical examinations.

The Board found that the Veteran's substantive appeal was not timely filed in response to the April 2009 statement of the case, and thus denied his claim.

The Veteran's asthma is not attributable to his active military service and the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing. The issue of entitlement to an effective date earlier than January 17, 2008, for the award of service connection for chronic asthmatic bronchitis remains pending.