Asthma decisions — 2019

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. The case is now remanded for further development and an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's asthma.

The Board denied service connection for asthma, bronchitis, and chronic cough as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of death due to lack of evidence linking the Veteran's pre-existing asthma to his military service, including exposure to asbestos or herbicide agents.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and asthma, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to her military service. Tinnitus was found to be incurred during service due to in-service noise exposure, while asthma is presumed to have existed prior to service but continued during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for asthma, right ankle disorder, low back disorder, bilateral hip disorder, and bilateral knee disorder due to incomplete development of records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's respiratory disorders, and additional records are needed.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, allergic rhinitis and sinusitis, and tinnitus. The Veteran's asthma, chronic bronchitis, and/or COPD are remanded to determine if they are related to asbestos exposure during active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic bronchitis and asthma has been denied. The Board found that the evidence does not support a diagnosis of chronic bronchitis, and did not address whether his current asthma is related to service or pre-existed service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's asthma should be remanded for further examination and opinion due to inadequate reasoning in the previous VA examination.

The Veteran's depression is granted as service connected. The cases of right knee disability, asthma, and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's asthma is rated at 30 percent, which does not meet the minimum percentage requirements for a TDIU. The weight of the evidence indicates that his service-connected disability alone does not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for bronchial asthma has been dismissed due to the appellant requesting withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma, memory loss, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder was reopened due to the submission of new evidence. Service connection is granted for the acquired psychiatric disorder (adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood). The other claims remain denied.

The Veteran's service did not qualify for death pension benefits as he did not serve during a period of war, and the Board denied his claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, including an undiagnosed respiratory disorder and asthma. The case is returned to the RO with instructions to obtain VA treatment records and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of pulmonary tuberculosis (inactive) is dismissed. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection and etiology of respiratory disorders.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is related to or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities (depressive disorder, asthma, and deviated septum).

The Veteran's service-connected asthma alone renders him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment since October 30, 2017. As a result, the Board has granted TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected bronchial asthma/COPD. The VA examiner needs to provide an opinion on both the direct relationship and aggravation of the conditions.