Asthma Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bronchial asthma has been reopened, but the VA has not granted service connection on the merits. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50% and his hearing loss disability does not meet a compensable rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's respiratory symptoms, including asthma and allergic rhinitis, were due to his service-connected chronic rhinitis. The VA examiner determined that the Veteran does not have asthma and attributed his dyspnea to upper airway hypersensitivity and congestion.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bronchial asthma and found that new and material evidence has been presented. The Board also determined that bronchial asthma was incurred in active service, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for median neuropathy of the left wrist is denied as there is no credible evidence linking his current condition to his military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a lung condition including COPD, asthma and bronchiectasis and for hernia, status-post surgical repair. The claim to reopen was denied as new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. Service connection for hernia was also denied.

The Board denied reopening previously denied claims of entitlement to service connection for bronchial asthma and bilateral hearing loss due to lack of new and material evidence. The Veteran argues that there was CUE in this decision, but the Board found no CUE.

The Veteran's asthma secondary to pneumonia and tobacco usage was granted service connection with a 30 percent disability evaluation effective September 9, 1993. The case is now remanded for further review.

The Veteran's asthma was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, and the Board is remanding this claim for a higher rating of DDD of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a videoconference hearing at the Atlanta RO due to his inability to travel.

The Veteran's sleep apnea with restrictive lung disease is rated at 60 percent, the highest available rating under Diagnostic Code 6602 for bronchial asthma.

The Board found that the Veteran's asbestosis was incurred in service and granted service connection for this condition. The claims of service connection for bronchitis and asthma were also granted, with the reasoning being that these conditions are related to asbestos exposure during service.

The Veteran's asthma with sleep apnea is rated at 60 percent disabling, and the appeal for a separate rating for sleep apnea has been denied.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's death, and no request for substitution was made.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's disability rating from 100% to 10% was void ab initio due to lack of a full and complete examination, thus denying the reduction.

The Board has granted service connection for asthma, finding that the appellant's current diagnosis of asthma manifested during his first period of active duty. The claim for arm, neck and leg pain is remanded due to additional development being necessary.

The Board denied the appellant's application to reopen her claim for service connection for asthma, for the purposes of accrued benefits. The evidence submitted did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a video-conference hearing. The remaining issues on appeal include reopening and service connection claims, as well as rating increases.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a respiratory disorder and a back disorder, finding that there was no direct evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of sinusitis or asthma, and the evidence does not support service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further development and readjudication, including de novo review of the claim of service connection for bronchial asthma. The COPD claim will be considered in light of this determination.