Asthma decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current respiratory condition, including his chronic cough and allergic rhinitis, originated during service and is related to his active military service.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for a respiratory disorder (claimed as asthma) has been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of this issue.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA respiratory examination and development of his asbestos exposure claim.

The Veteran's bronchial asthma was evaluated as 10 percent disabling prior to May 5, 1997. From October 7, 1996, until May 4, 1997, the disability rating increased to 30 percent based on FEV-1 and FEV-1/FVC testing criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service or any exposure to environmental hazards during service.

An effective date of July 6, 2011 is granted for the award of service connection for asthma. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date is denied as it does not meet the criteria for reopening a previously denied claim.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected asthma, evaluated in conjunction with obstructive sleep apnea, was denied as the condition does not meet the criteria for a separate evaluation under Diagnostic Code 6602.

The Board has remanded the case due to a request for a videoconference hearing, and the appeal is not ready for appellate review.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate examination reports and incomplete consideration of the appellant's lung disability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for asthma, and remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine whether his current asthma is related to his active service.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, sinusitis and asthma in the November 2014 rating decision. The Veteran's claims for these conditions are now dismissed as there is no longer any case or controversy with respect to them.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's asthma and sleep apnea are not related to his service-connected deviated nasal septum.,Service connection for asthma was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, and the VA examiner found no relationship between the condition and the service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including an updated examination to assess the severity of his depressive disorder with anxiety and asthma/COPD. His TDIU claim prior to July 2009 remains pending.

The Veteran's right knee disorder is service-connected, and the Board finds that it began to manifest within one year of separation from active duty. The Veteran's left knee disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent due to its current range of motion.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 30 percent for asthma with COPD prior to November 12, 2015 has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for asthma, which was previously denied. The case has been remanded to consider his allegations of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in prior VA decisions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, a pulmonary condition, gout, degenerative arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and metabolic syndrome. The Board also found that there is no evidence of chemical exposure or TCE exposure to support these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sarcoidosis, asthma, hypertension, and OSA as secondary to sarcoidosis. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service onset or association with any of these conditions.

The evidence supports that the Veteran's diagnosed asthma is related to his service, and therefore service connection for this condition is granted.