Asthma decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for hiatal hernia, asthma (claimed as recurrent cough), right knee condition, epididymitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Service connection is also granted for these conditions on a presumptive basis due to the Veteran's military service in the Southwest Asia Theatre of Operation. The appeal for sensitive teeth has been withdrawn.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and a respiratory condition other than asthma (claimed as COPD), finding that new evidence supports these claims. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral eye nuclear sclerotic cataracts and residuals of loss of 15 teeth.

The Board has granted service connection for onychomycosis of the bilateral feet and has remanded the issue of service connection for a lung disorder, including asthma.

The Veteran's restrictive lung disease (claimed as asthma) is rated at 30 percent, but no higher, due to the need for daily inhalational medication and shortness of breath with everyday activities. The rating does not meet criteria for a 60 percent rating based on more severe symptoms.

Service connection for asthma is granted. Service connection for memory loss disorder is denied. Entitlement to service connection for left elbow, thoracolumbar spine, right hip, and bilateral knee disorders is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation since April 22, 2021.

The Board denied service connection for asthma, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and sleep apnea. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence of in-service injury or disease, exposure to asbestos, or a causal relationship between the conditions and service.

The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at 10 percent, but a higher rating of 30 percent has been granted effective from March 9, 2020. The Veteran's TDIU claim based on a single disability was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, headaches, and asthma. The Veteran's tinnitus is presumed to have been incurred during his Gulf War service. Service connection was also granted for headaches, but the Board found that they are not related to active duty service. Asthma was presumed to have existed prior to service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for asthma, psoriasis, sleep apnea, migraines (also claimed as headaches), and fibromyalgia due to concurrent elections.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected sinusitis and asthma, finding that the evidence supports a causal link between these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal for an evaluation greater than 10 percent for asthma at the July 2024 Board hearing, and the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's OSA was caused or aggravated by his service-connected asthma. The VA will need to provide an addendum opinion addressing these issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and throat infections have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,Both conditions were not diagnosed in the medical records, and the VA examinations found no chronic symptoms related to these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for separate evaluations for sleep apnea and asthma has been denied as VA regulations prohibit the assignment of separate ratings for these conditions. The Board found that the disabilities present with overlapping symptomatology but are not mutually inclusive.

The Veteran's asthma disability is not currently rated as compensable, as his FEV-1 and FEV-1/FVC levels do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection for hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and insomnia are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for entitlement to service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability due to failure to comply with the appropriate claims processing defect.,The evidence of record does not support finding that the Veteran had a left knee or right knee disability at any time during her military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically failing to obtain an adequate VA medical opinion assessing the appellant's claim for service connection of the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD, asthma and emphysema are granted with a 30 percent rating prior to September 6, 2017. The issue of TDIU is remanded for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea secondary to his service-connected asthma was granted with an effective date of July 29, 2020. The Board found that the earliest possible effective date permitted by law is this date.