Asthma decisions — 2022

The Veteran's asthma and COPD with episodic pneumonia rating was restored to 100%, and his entitlement to SMC at the housebound rate was restored as well.

The Board has granted reopening of the previously denied claim for service connection for asthma, as new and material evidence was received since the July 2011 decision. The Veteran's respiratory disability is now considered to include all respiratory conditions, including asthma, which he claims are related to a near-drowning incident during service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining pulmonary function test results and clarifying the Veteran's symptoms related to his service-connected bronchial asthma. The TDIU issue is also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to insufficient evidence showing he was unable to secure and maintain gainful employment despite his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as his service-connected asthma alone does not preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's asthma is granted as service connected due to exposure to particulate matter during his Southwest Asia theater of operations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted since the last decision. The issues include sleep apnea, respiratory conditions (including asthma and bronchitis), and a lower back condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment for the appeal period prior to December 2, 2019.

The Veteran's hearing loss has not been reassessed in over seven years, and he testified that his tinnitus is also a problem. Therefore, another VA examination is needed to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss and whether it causes or aggravates his tinnitus.,The Veteran contends that his GERD warrants a higher rating than 10 percent. The most recent examination was in December 2014, which does not account for his current symptoms such as vomiting and esophageal spasm. Another VA examination is needed to reassess the severity of his GERD.,The Veteran contends that he has esophageal spasm associated with his GERD. The most recent examination noted no esophageal spasm at all, but a private record from 2015 diagnosed him with OSA. An additional VA examination is needed to determine whether the esophageal spasm is related to his GERD or instead attributable to another condition.,The Veteran contends that he has obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to loud snoring during service. The most recent STRs do not indicate any symptoms of OSA, and a private record from 2015 diagnosed him with OSA. An additional VA examination is needed to determine whether his OSA started in service or is related to another condition.,The Veteran contends that he has congestion, including asthma, rhinitis, and sinusitis, which began during service. The most recent STRs do not indicate any symptoms of these conditions, but a private record from 2014 diagnosed him with allergic rhinitis. An additional VA examination is needed to determine whether his current condition is related to service or another condition.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for various conditions, including liver damage, sleep apnea, ischemic heart disease, DM, spleen damage, kidney condition, and asthma, all related to hazardous chemical exposure, including asbestos exposure.

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with its prior remand directives and has therefore remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum medical opinion to address the Veteran's lay testimony of asthma symptoms during service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma due to inadequate VA opinions and a need for an independent medical expert opinion.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a respiratory disability due to conflicting diagnoses and lack of a clear opinion on whether asthma is related to service. The Veteran's treatment records show he had upper respiratory infection in 1965, but no specific exposure to herbicides or other air pollution.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to determine if the Veteran's cervical spine, back, and asthma disabilities are related to his service-connected bilateral knee and/or bilateral foot disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, including paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, has been granted. Service connection is also granted for asthma and sleep apnea due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's asbestosis with asthma disability is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting a comprehensive VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's asthma is rated at a 30 percent disability rating, effective from April 11, 2014. This decision grants the Veteran an initial 30 percent rating for his service-connected asthma.

The Veteran's asthma is rated at a 60 percent disability rating beginning January 18, 2022. The previous rating of 30 percent was maintained prior to that date.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for a respiratory disorder, finding that the Veteran did not have an in-service event, injury, or disease. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for back disability, hypertension, heart disabilities, asthma, and bilateral eye disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions began during or are otherwise related to his military service.