Asthma decisions — 2020

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for asthma was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's asthma and TDIU claims are remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his asthma and whether he is entitled to a TDIU based on his service-connected conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and asthma, finding that there is no current diagnosis of these conditions and that they are not related to service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's recurrent bronchial asthma is granted as service-connected due to aggravation during active duty.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional VA records being added to the claims file since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case, and these records need to be reviewed in conjunction with the current issue on appeal.

The Veteran's initial 70 percent rating for a psychiatric disorder is granted. The Board also remanded several issues on appeal, including service connection claims for various disabilities.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, acne vulgaris, cervical spine disability, left ankle disability, low back disability, radiculopathy, and obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and evidence.

The Veteran's daughter, who is now a young adult, has been diagnosed with multiple health conditions including diabetes, obesity, migraines, and asthma. She was not found to be permanently incapable of self-support prior to age 18 due to her ongoing medical issues.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a right hip replacement, joint pain condition, and lumbar spine condition have been withdrawn.,Service connection for a respiratory condition (asthma) due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune has been denied. The evidence is insufficient to establish a nexus between the current diagnosis of asthma and her period of service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for asthma and remanded the claims for service connection for right and left ankle disabilities. The Veteran's asthma is being examined again to determine if it was caused by or aggravated during service, while her ankle disabilities are being evaluated to determine their onset in service.

The appeal of the denial for service connection for asthma and asbestosis is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for chronic asthmatic bronchitis, finding that there were no prior claims filed before January 17, 2008.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for prostate cancer, lung disorder, chloracne, and heart arrhythmia with pacemaker due to exposure to herbicides. The RO must determine if the Veteran served in the National Guard at Fort Chaffee from May 27, 1967, to June 10, 1967, and obtain any outstanding VA treatment records for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for thyroid cancer and asthma as they require further development due to inadequate explanations in previous VA examination opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a respiratory disorder (other than already service-connected allergic rhinitis), to include asthma, is remanded due to the need for a VA medical opinion.

The claim of service connection for bladder cancer is remanded. The claims of service connection for asthma and COPD are denied.

The Board has denied all service connection claims, including for COPD and asthma, as well as psychiatric disorders, lower back disability, neck disability, right thigh and knee disabilities, fibromyalgia, shoulder and arm disabilities, elbow, wrist and hand disabilities, hip disabilities, left leg and ankle-foot disabilities, and left knee and shoulder-and-arm disabilities. The claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's respiratory disability, specifically his claimed asthma and COPD. The VA needs to obtain additional medical records and conduct a new examination with a different examiner to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeals for asthma, chronic respiratory disorder, and mesothelioma have been withdrawn. The appeal for prostate cancer residuals has been remanded due to the need for additional development regarding exposure to ionizing radiation and herbicide agents.

The Board has granted a compensable evaluation for the right shoulder scar and has remanded cases involving asthma and sinusitis or rhinitis due to lack of medical opinion on their etiology.