Asthma decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examination and lack of treatment records, requiring further evaluation and evidence collection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for respiratory disorders, finding that there is no medical evidence linking his current respiratory conditions to his service-connected left lower lung pneumothorax disability or to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for respiratory disability, sleep apnea, and bilateral wrist disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is also requested to provide any outstanding VA or private treatment records.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, skin cancer (tumor condition), and respiratory disorder due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or related to active duty service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) is granted as incurred during service. Raynaud's syndrome of both hands and respiratory disorders are denied due to lack of evidence linking them to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The AOJ is instructed to attempt to obtain additional evidence, including SPRs and any other relevant records, to determine if the Veteran’s unit participated in missions to Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, and the cases are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's asthma, PTSD, anxiety disorder, and headaches have been granted service connection. The Board found that the Veteran has current diagnoses of these conditions and there is sufficient evidence to support their relationship to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, including asthma, is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current respiratory disorder related to his in-service exposure and grants this claim. For the right hand disability, the Board finds insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the current condition and an in-service injury, thus remanding the issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is either caused or aggravated by his service-connected asthma, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were reopened for sleep apnea, but denied for bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, and bilateral foot condition. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea was remanded due to insufficient evidence on the secondary nature of the condition.

The Veteran's appeals seeking increased ratings and service connection for various conditions have been dismissed. The appeal seeking a rating in excess of 40 percent for residuals of fracture of vertebrae, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung disability, including asthma and tuberculosis, is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's asthma and sleep apnea were rated at 60 percent effective from March 20, 2015 to November 1, 2016.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for clothing allowances for a brace used for his service-connected back disability and topical medication used for his service-connected eczema in 2018, as there was no evidence that these items caused significant damage to his clothes.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for service-connected pulmonary nodules with asthma is being remanded due to the addition of new VA records that have not been considered in the most recent Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for a left knee condition and asthma. The claims are now remanded for further development, including VA examinations to assess the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy has been reopened and granted. The Board also remanded the claims for service connection for a respiratory disability to include asthma and COPD, as well as his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for asthma and service connection for sleep apnea are remanded. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to incomplete development.

The Veteran's rhinitis, asthma, skin disability (including seborrheic dermatitis, actinic keratosis, and xerosis), and right foot fungus are being remanded for further development due to inadequate medical opinions.,The Board is seeking additional information on the nature and etiology of these conditions.