Asthma decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bronchial asthma, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, right hand arthritis, left hand arthritis, and a left hip condition due to incomplete medical records and the need for VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a respiratory disorder is being remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with previous instructions, including the failure to schedule an examination.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral knee disability was reopened, and he is now granted service connection. His claims for asthma are also granted, but his claims for thyroid disability, cervical spine disability, hypertension (secondary to major depressive disorder), sleep disability, bilateral hip disability, and erectile dysfunction (secondary to thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis with IVDS) remain pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities due to inadequate etiology opinions and outstanding records. The issues include right shoulder, left shoulder, left knee, tinnitus, left foot, right ankle, and asthma.

The Veteran's asthma disability is rated at 30 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating due to missing scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's asthma and bronchitis, which are presumed service-connected. The VA is instructed to obtain SSA records and provide a new opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's respiratory conditions.

The Veteran's asthma is rated at 100 percent since December 28, 2017 based on FEV-1 less than 40 percent predicted.

Service connection for a heart disorder, to include hypertension and supraventricular arrhythmia is granted pursuant to the PACT Act. Service connection for asthma, to include as due to herbicide exposure, is remanded. Service connection for a heart disorder, to include hypertension and supraventricular arrhythmia on a basis other than as pursuant to the PACT Act, is also remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for COPD with asthma, scarring, and pulmonary nodules is being remanded due to the need for issuance of a statement of the case.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to determine his duty status during reserve service in the United States Coast Guard and United States Navy Reserve, as this will impact whether his contended onset dates occurred during periods of service when he was a Veteran for VA purposes.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to uncertainty regarding whether the Veteran's asthma began during or after her service, and to obtain a VA respiratory examination.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee strain, residuals of medial and lateral meniscal tears in the right knee, and asthma, all determined to be related to events during active duty.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection, but asthma is denied. The case for residuals of stroke is remanded.

The Board has granted a 60 percent rating for the Veteran's bronchial asthma from February 28, 2010 to December 20, 2010 and denied any rating in excess of 60 percent for the period from December 21, 2010 to March 16, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete VA opinions regarding service connection and secondary service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran seeks service connection for his sleep apnea, which he asserts began during service or was caused by his service-connected asthma and sinusitis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and COPD are being remanded due to the need for compliance with special development procedures for asbestos-related claims, as well as a review of the PACT Act regarding toxic exposure risk activity (TERA).

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen her claims for service connection for asthma and allergic rhinitis, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for cough variant asthma was withdrawn, and the appeal is dismissed. The Board found in favor of granting service connection for a low back disability.

The Veteran's asthma, diabetes mellitus, and mitral valve prolapse claims are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,Service connection is sought for asthma, diabetes mellitus, type 1, and mitral valve prolapse. The Veteran asserts that his asthma may be related to exposure to asbestos during service.