Asthma decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and bronchial asthma due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma is granted, with the Board finding that his current diagnosis of asthma was incurred in active duty service.

Service connection for depression, a psychiatric disorder manifested by nightmares/sleep condition, and right hip disability is denied.,The Veteran's asthma claim is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for asthma, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing asthma was aggravated during his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected asthma is rated at 60 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran also seeks TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities but has not met the criteria for this as well.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and incomplete records. The Veteran is entitled to additional etiology opinions on his acquired psychiatric, respiratory, cardiac, vestibular, hearing loss/tinnitus, and orthopedic disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error in the March 2022 VA medical opinion, and the Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma due to asbestos exposure is now pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing, a special home adaptation grant, or an allowance for an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment. The Board found that none of his conditions qualify under the applicable VA regulations.

The Veteran's asthma is rated at 30 percent prior to October 24, 2016, and obstructive sleep apnea with asthma is rated at 50 percent on and after October 24, 2016. Both ratings are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis and asthma, finding that the Veteran's conditions manifested after his military service in Southwest Asia. The exposure to fine particulate matter during his service is presumed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, anxiety condition, asthma (shortness of breath), obstructive sleep apnea, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, and left hip condition have all been denied. The Board has also remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee condition and right knee condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection and a rating increase for obstructive sleep apnea was granted with an effective date of October 31, 2007. The condition is secondary to his service-connected asthma.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease and asthma.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability, including asthma and moderate obstructive airway disease due to insufficient evidence at the time of the June 2022 decision on appeal.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for his award of service connection for asthma, which was granted on August 5, 2021. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's asthma.

The Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to her service-connected PTSD and asthma, which severely limit her ability to work.

The Veteran's asthma is remanded for further examination and opinion due to a lack of in-service medical records, and the need to consider toxic exposure risk activities.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for asthma and a separate compensable disability rating for asthma is denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support entitlement to these claims.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a rating of 50 percent, effective December 6, 2021. The claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis in the back and bronchial asthma are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for asthma and left knee degenerative arthritis due to insufficient evidence in the record, including a lack of adequate VA examinations. The AOJ is directed to attempt to obtain active duty service treatment records from September 1983 to December 1987 and schedule a VA examination to address the claimed conditions.