Asthma decisions — 2019

The Veteran's asthma was granted service connection as it is presumed to have existed prior to service and not aggravated by service. Other claims for various conditions were denied.

The Board has dismissed all appeals related to service connection and rating determinations for various conditions, as the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's hysterectomy is being remanded for further examination to determine if it was caused by or aggravated by her service-connected asthma, including the use of prednisone.

The Veteran's asthma is being remanded for further evaluation due to the need for verification of his service period and a new medical opinion regarding its relation to environmental hazards experienced in Iraq.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional medical records and an updated opinion from a VA examiner regarding the Veteran's lung disability.

The Veteran's death was ruled to be an accident, with the unbelted driver of an automobile involved in a single vehicle crash sustaining lethal blunt force injury.,VA medical records noted the Veteran’s service-connected asthma and bilateral foot pain as active medical problems.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable prior to December 1, 2015. His TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, asthma, leg scars, and knee disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's asthma is found to be aggravated by her service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder, and thus granted as secondary service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment since November 15, 2011.

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected condition, and the appellant did not have any pending claims at the time of his death. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of death is denied, as are the claims for accrued benefits.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of service connection for an upper respiratory disability (claimed as asthma, allergies, and relative persistent cough) is remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for a supplemental VA opinion regarding pre-existing asthma.

The Veteran's nonlinear scars of the anterior trunk are not painful, unstable, or associated with underlying tissue damage and do not affect a total area greater than 929 square centimeters.,The Veteran does not have a current left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left knee disability, or right knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from February 16, 2016, to September 10, 2017. The TDIU is granted during this period and the appeal for a temporary total evaluation due to hernia repair is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal of the effective date for a 60 percent rating for his service-connected respiratory disability, to include asthma, COPD, pulmonary emphysema, and bronchitis, is remanded due to procedural issues. The AOJ must consider all applicable diagnostic codes in its analysis.

The Board has dismissed all issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to his death.

The Board denied service connection for asthma, finding that the Veteran's preexisting asthma was not aggravated by her active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records, specifically the full pulmonary function test results from April and May of 2018. The Veteran's asthma rating needs to be evaluated based on these tests.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's respiratory condition, specifically asthma. The Veteran contends that his current respiratory issues are related to service, particularly Gulf War exposure. A new VA examination is needed to determine if any of these conditions are related to service.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD due to the lack of credible supporting evidence that a sexual assault occurred during service, and thus the Veteran's claim is not supported by competent and credible evidence.,The VA left hip replacement case is remanded as there are allegations of negligence resulting in additional disability or death.