Asthma decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for cervical cancer, pharyngitis, asthma, and acquired psychiatric disorders (including PTSD, anxiety, and depression) were denied. The claim for service connection for digestive diseases is remanded.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but remanded all other issues due to lack of evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities, as well as his claims for initial ratings for chronic maxillary and ethmoid sinusitis (sinusitis) and asthma. The decision is based on the need for additional VA examinations and records review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a left ankle disorder and an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for asthma were denied. The Veteran was granted a 50% evaluation for PTSD with depression, but the issue is subject to further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back condition as secondary to his service-connected right knee arthritis has been remanded. The claims for an intestinal condition and breathing problems have also been remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's asthma and obstructive sleep apnea began in service, and thus grants service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's respiratory problems, including asthma and bronchitis, were not incurred or aggravated during service. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional information and medical opinions regarding his claimed conditions, particularly asthma, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The VA will also verify the alleged in-service stressors.

The Veteran's tinnitus and cough-variant irritant-induced asthma are granted as service-connected due to in-service exposure. The Board found the evidence at least equipoise on whether these conditions were caused by military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma, a respiratory disability manifested by cough, colds and upper respiratory infection, abrasion and infection of the right knee, numbness of the left upper leg, and an acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD and depression has been denied.,The Board found that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of any of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for asthma as it was clearly and unmistakably pre-existing with no aggravation during service. The psychiatric disorder claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's asthma was rated at 60 percent during the entire course of the appeal, with intermittent courses of systemic corticosteroids for relief. The criteria for a higher rating were not met.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and inconsistencies in the Veteran's medical records. The Veteran is not considered credible regarding his exposure to tear gas during service, and a new VA respiratory examination is needed to assess whether his COPD began in service or is otherwise related to his period of service.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia is granted service connection, but his asthma and chronic fatigue syndrome are denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for asthma.

The Veteran's major depression was granted service connection. The other conditions were denied as not related to service.

The Veteran's appeals for arthritis of all other joints, allergies to sulfa and medications, respiratory disorder (claimed as asthma and bronchitis), skin disorder, hemorrhoids, heart disorder, prostate disorder, and disability claimed as muscle aches, pains and spasms have been dismissed. The Veteran has service connection granted for depressive disorder and IBS/GERD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen her service connection for asthma because no new and material evidence was presented, and the existing evidence did not show that her asthma was permanently aggravated during service.

The Veteran's asthma claim is reopened and granted.,Obstructive sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disorder (generalized anxiety disorder), bilateral hip condition, eye condition, and headache condition are all granted as secondary to service-connected pneumoconiosis.,Low back and neck conditions are denied.,A rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral SNHL is denied.,An effective date prior to November 15, 2013 for the grant of a 10 percent disability rating for bilateral SNHL and an effective date prior to November 15, 2013 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus are both denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an increase rating on his right ankle fracture with degenerative changes was dismissed. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a back disorder, and respiratory disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis and asthma, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise on whether these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.