Asthma decisions — 2023

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss. The claims of service connection for asthma and cervical spine disability have been remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records and an inadequate VA opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected asthma and his claimed sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected exercise-induced asthma, allergic rhinitis, lumbosacral strain, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are all rated at 10 percent. The Board has determined that updated examinations are needed to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete opinions and missing records. The Veteran's deviated nasal septum is being reviewed again, and his asthma rating is also being reconsidered.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma, finding that there is no evidence to support herbicide exposure causing asthma and that the Veteran's lifestyle triggers his asthma.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for respiratory disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to incomplete personnel records and STRs. The AOJ is tasked with obtaining all available service records and confirming the periods of active duty, ROTC, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. Additionally, a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's respiratory conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes and his tinnitus is not related to service. The asthma claim was remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and asthma cannot be granted as there is no credible evidence of these conditions in service or within one year post-service.

The Board denied service connection for blackout spells and respiratory disability (including asthma and chronic bronchitis) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has granted service connection for asthma, finding that the Veteran's current asthma was incurred coincident with his periods of active duty service.

The Board has granted the petition to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and has granted entitlement to service connection for this condition. The claims for asthma and left hip disability are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of service connection for back disability was denied in a July 2002 decision, and this decision is final. The January 2015 rating decision again denied the claim on the merits, finding no link between the current back disability and service.,An effective date earlier than April 26, 2017 for the award of service connection for chronic sinusitis and allergic and chronic vasomotor rhinitis is not warranted. The earliest possible effective date is April 26, 2017.

The Board has identified new evidence that was not considered in the previous decision and has ordered its consideration. The Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple conditions are being remanded to allow for further review of this new evidence.

The claims for service connection for asthma, COPD, PTSD, and TDIU are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence since the last decisions.

The Board denied the claim for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities because there was insufficient evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected conditions prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for asthma, chronic diarrhea, and pulmonary nodule due to inadequate medical opinions and failure to consider the Veteran's lay statements about symptom onset.

The Veteran's asthma was initially rated at 10 percent prior to September 16, 2022 and increased to 30 percent from that date.,The Veteran's bilateral mild nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy without macular edema remains at a noncompensable rating.,The Veteran's bilateral chronic dry eye syndrome is now rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's skin cancer and hypogonadism are not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service, including presumed exposure to herbicides.,The Veteran's asthma is also not service-connected as there is no evidence that it developed during or was caused by his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining and sustaining a substantially gainful occupation prior to July 27, 2005.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of in-service exposure and a need for further examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's respiratory disability, specifically asthma.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and asthma due to insufficient medical opinions based on the absence of documentation showing an in-service diagnosis or treatment. The Veteran asserts that her environment within the service attributed to her conditions, such as generators, fuel, and smoke.