Asthma decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's asthma began during active-duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches and dismissed the claims for lumbosacral strain and asthma.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions to determine the nature of his heart condition, PTSD, asthma, and sleep apnea, as well as their relationship to service. The hearing loss claim remains denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's respiratory disabilities and his service, particularly herbicide exposure. A new VA examination is needed to determine if there is a nexus between the Veteran's conditions and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for asthma and COPD, finding that the Veteran's conditions did not begin during active service or are otherwise related to in-service event, injury, or disease, including exposure to asbestos, fumes, and chemicals.

The Veteran's asthma is granted at a 30 percent rating from April 9, 2019. The decision denies compensable ratings for sinusitis and remands the issues of service connection for headaches and urinary incontinence.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's asthma, OSA, and urinary disorder. The claims are not currently decided.

The Board has determined that the current VA examination and opinion are inadequate for addressing all relevant conditions, including fibrothorax, loculated effusions, and asbestos exposure. The Veteran's claim is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct a new examination.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and an updated opinion regarding its etiology. The respiratory disability case is also being remanded for further addendum opinions.,The Board has determined that more development is needed in both cases, including obtaining additional medical records and providing new opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's left ankle disorder and respiratory condition.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The issue of service connection for asthma (claimed as a respiratory condition) is remanded and will be addressed again.

The Veteran's chest pain, GERD, COPD, asthma, and chronic bronchitis are being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if they are related to service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The increased rating claims for hip and knee conditions were remanded due to insufficient information regarding the range of motion estimates after repeated use over time and flareups.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the issues of increased rating for allergic rhinitis, service connection for a right hip disability, service connection for a left hip disability, and service connection for a right shoulder/arm disability. As such, these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD) and PTSD have been granted service connection. The Veteran's knee DJD, left eye disorder, and hypertension are denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic sinusitis and TDIU due to his service-connected asthma. The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current sinusitis was related to his military service.

The Veteran's hypertension, CVID, lactic acidosis, respiratory disorder (including asthma and COPD), and hypogammaglobulinemia are related to his exposure to herbicides during service in Vietnam.,Service connection for these conditions is granted based on presumed exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has remanded the claims for an eating disorder, asthma, and low back disability due to additional development being necessary.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's respiratory condition, back disability, right hip disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability. The conditions are deemed to have onset during his deployment in Afghanistan.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations related to cervical spine, hip, right ankle, lumbar spine, and pulmonary disabilities due to incomplete or insufficient examination reports.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his current hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for a higher disability evaluation.,The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for emphysema and asthma due to insufficient medical opinions based on the submitted evidence.