Asthma decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such nature and severity as to prevent her from securing or following substantially gainful employment since January 6, 2014. The Board has granted a TDIU due to the combined effect of her service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's initial claim for increased ratings was denied, with the exception of a grant of a 50% evaluation for migraine headaches effective from August 9, 2017. The remaining conditions were not granted higher evaluations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right wrist pain and asthma have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The cases are being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA clinical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for various disabilities, a reduction of the rating for prostate cancer residuals, and TDIU. The Veteran's claims are pending and need further investigation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for breathing difficulties has been reopened, but the issue of whether his respiratory disability is related to service or a service-connected condition remains pending and requires further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for asthma and an acquired psychiatric condition including generalized anxiety disorder due to incomplete service records, particularly regarding his National Guard/Reserve service. The claims will be reviewed again with additional information.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient verification of her exposure to herbicides, specifically Agent Orange. The VA will attempt to verify this exposure and obtain any outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for asthma was granted. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence in the VA opinion.

The Board denied service connection for a chronic low back disorder and asthma, finding no medical nexus between the conditions and service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sickle cell trait was denied due to lack of a current disability. The claims for color blindness, heart condition, and COPD were not established as they are congenital or developmental defects.,Service connection has been granted for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, hypertension, gout of both feet, intervertebral disc syndrome with lumbago, binocular visual field defect, and sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board denied reopening the claims for service connection for bronchial asthma and PTSD, finding no new and material evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's asthma disability rating is being remanded for further evaluation, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition. The propriety of reducing his rating from 30 percent to 10 percent is also on appeal and must be addressed.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, and it is now up to the AOJ to review this additional medical records and conduct any necessary development before readjudicating the claim.

The Veteran's service connection claim for scars on the left hand and forearm is granted. The claims for increased ratings of his left shoulder osteoarthritis and bronchial asthma are denied due to failure to report for VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and review of new evidence. The issues include psychiatric disabilities, high cholesterol, obesity, allergic rhinitis/sinusitis, asthma, sleep apnea, hernia, kidney disease, multiple sclerosis, headaches, and seizures.

The Board has determined that additional VA medical opinions are necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete or inaccurate factual premises in previous VA examination reports.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a lower back disability and bronchial asthma, prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment for the period between June 11, 2002, and December 19, 2006. The Board granted entitlement to TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on FEV-1 or FVC levels.

The Veteran's appeal of a rating in excess of 70 percent for persistent depressive disorder is dismissed. The Board grants a separate 30 percent rating for limitation of extension from April 18, 2014 to March 2, 2018 in the right knee and denies ratings in excess of 10 percent for other knee issues and asthma. Compensation for total disability based on individual unemployability prior to November 17, 2017 is also denied.

The Veteran is granted TDIU effective March 29, 2017.,An earlier effective date for the grant of a 30 percent disability rating for reactive airway disease and/or asthma prior to April 6, 2012 is denied.