Asthma Board decisions

The Veteran's asthma is found to have started during his active duty service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate consideration of all evidence, including private treatment records. A VA examination and medical opinion are required for a TERA (toxic exposure risk activity) claim involving heavy black smoke and fumes from equipment and vehicles.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of asthma, left hand condition, diabetes mellitus type II, and neck condition.

The Veteran's asthma is granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure to burn pits and Gulf War exposure. The Veteran's IBS claim for an increased rating remains denied, as the current 30% rating is the maximum allowed under VA regulations. Service connection for asthma other than pursuant to the PACT Act is remanded. TDIU based on IBS is also remanded.

The Veteran's asthma is granted as service connected due to exposure to burn pits during his Southwest Asia service, with an effective date not specified.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea should be remanded for further examination and opinion regarding its etiology, as it may be related to his service-connected mood disorder or asthma. The examiner must address whether obesity is an intermediate step between these conditions.

The Veteran's recurrent ankle, foot, and wrist disabilities are being remanded for further examination to determine their relationship to service. The respiratory and sinus disabilities are also being remanded.

The Veteran's asthma is attributable to service and the Board has granted direct service connection for his condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims for allergic rhinitis and asthma are granted due to presumed exposure to fine particulate matter during active service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for asthma, rhinitis, and sinusitis are dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection in a prior decision. The claim for service connection for sinusitis is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for asthma, pulmonary nodules, and chronic cough due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. The Veteran was diagnosed with asthma in April 2023 but the January 2024 VA examiner found no current diagnosis of asthma. The Board also found that there is insufficient evidence to link the lung disability (nodules and cough) to service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for COPD, asthma, and chronic bronchitis due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to consider all relevant evidence. The Veteran's symptoms are related to in-service exposure to burn pit smoke.

The Veteran's claims for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities meet the criteria for these benefits.

The Veteran's asthma is granted service connection, and his right hip disability is denied an increased rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus and asthma have been granted service connection. The Veteran's headaches are remanded for a secondary service connection opinion, and her sleep apnea is also remanded for an aggravation of service-connected condition opinion.

The Board granted service connection for asthma, finding that the Veteran's preexisting condition was aggravated by their service in the South West Asia Theatre of Operations.

The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at a 10 percent disability rating since March 1, 2022. The Board found that the evidence did not show more than intermittent use of inhalational therapy.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his service-connected obstructive sleep apnea with asthma was denied. The Board found that the predominant disability is OSA, which warrants a 50 percent rating under DC 6847. Asthma does not warrant a separate rating as it has been stable and does not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for residuals of mild traumatic brain injury with post-traumatic headaches was denied. The evidence did not show that the condition resulted in Level 2 impairment, which is necessary to warrant a 40 percent rating.,The Veteran's application for TDIU was also denied as his service-connected disabilities alone do not meet the schedular criteria for individual unemployability.

The Board has restored a 30 percent disability rating for asthma from August 16, 2022. The issue of service connection for GERD is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.