Asthma decisions — 2026

The Veteran's respiratory disorders, specifically asthma and obstructive sleep apnea, are found to be related to service. The claim for tinnitus is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) due to the severance of these benefits by VA.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma is denied. The Board finds the evidence does not support a current diagnosis of asthma and thus cannot establish service connection on any basis. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a foot pain condition secondary to his service-connected knee condition is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a respiratory disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to procedural errors in the initial decision. The Veteran's asthma and COPD are being considered as part of his respiratory disability claim, while his bilateral hearing loss is related to noise exposure during military service.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including a stomach condition, neck disability, lower back disability, bulging discs in the back, uterine fibroids, asthma (claimed as breathing problems), Graves' disease (thyroid disability), hypertension, and tachycardia. The Board found that there is no evidence of these conditions being related to service or toxic exposures.

A 50 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss is granted effective from August 5, 2024. Service connection for asthma and vertigo are denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sarcoidosis and chronic asthma is being remanded due to the lack of an Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) that could support his exposure claims. The Board requests the Veteran's ILER or provides a formal finding if one cannot be obtained.

The Veteran's asbestosis with asthma was granted a 100% disability rating effective July 19, 2023. The appeal is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various respiratory conditions due to a deficient notice letter in his initial rating decision.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error and will consider evidence of record at the time of the February 2025 rating decision on appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for asthma on a direct basis, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's asthma had onset in service. As the reasonable doubt created by this relative equipoise in the evidence of record must be resolved in the Veteran's favor, the claim is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused him to become obese, which was a substantial factor in causing his OSA. Therefore, the claim for service connection for OSA is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma is granted with an effective date of August 5, 2021. Claims for other conditions are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not result in loss of use of the bilateral lower extremities, and therefore he is not entitled to special monthly compensation based on such.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the claim for service connection for asthma was granted by a new rating decision effective March 27, 2025.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of low back and right knee disabilities due to improper filing deadlines.

The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied an increased evaluation greater than 10 percent.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of December 8, 2015 for both TDIU and DEA eligibility. The Veteran is now eligible for these benefits as his service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis and sinusitis due to exposure to fine particulate matter in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War are granted. The claim for service connection for asthma is denied.

The Veteran's asthma requires daily use of systemic (oral or parenteral) high dose corticosteroids, meeting the criteria for a 100 percent disability rating.