Asthma Board decisions

The veteran's asthma was rated at 30 percent prior to November 7, 2007 and 60 percent after that date. The Board found no evidence supporting higher ratings under the applicable criteria.

The veteran has service-connected disabilities rated at 50 percent combined. He does not have an employment handicap and therefore, the requirements for establishing basic entitlement to VA vocational rehabilitation benefits under Chapter 31 are not met.

The veteran's respiratory disability, which includes bronchial asthma leading to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bullous disease with hyperinflation of the lungs and fattening of the diaphragm, results in marked interference with employment. The Board has found that this warrants a 60 percent disability rating on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to unavailability of active duty service records and a name change.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability of the central nervous system, asthma, or low back disorder that can be linked to service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the case requires additional development due to the need for clarification of the veteran's periods of active duty and inactive duty training, as well as further examination regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The veteran is seeking service connection for bronchial asthma, which she claims was caused by exposure to paint fumes during Active Duty for Training. The Board has ordered a VA examination to determine the etiology of her respiratory condition.

The veteran's asthma was initially rated at 30 percent prior to April 24, 2003 and later granted a 60 percent rating effective from that date. The current effective date is April 24, 2003.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD. The remaining claims of entitlement to service connection for bronchial asthma, low back disability (Gulf War Illness, painful joints), tinnitus, and hearing loss in the right ear are addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic PTSD and found that the veteran's current bronchial asthma is rated at 10 percent. The veteran was not granted an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his bronchial asthma.

The Board has granted service connection for asthma, lumbosacral strain, and GERD. The effective dates for these grants are being deferred due to the inextricability of the issues.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no evidence of compensable right knee disability or service connection for low back condition, asthma, migraine, or razor bumps.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his terminal conditions to his military service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and PTSD, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims. The VA records do not show any diagnosis or treatment for either condition during active duty.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further action due to a failure in VA's duty to assist the veteran regarding his claimed exposure to Agent Orange.

The VA has determined that the veteran's bronchial asthma does not meet the criteria for a higher rating, as his pulmonary function tests have not shown FEV-1 at one second of between 40 and 55 percent of predicted value or a ratio of FEV-1/FVC to be between 40 and 55 percent. He is currently rated at 30% for bronchial asthma.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his left foot, left hand, and sinusitis disabilities were granted. The effective date is not specified.

The Board found that the appellant's asthma existed prior to his service and was not aggravated by his active duty for training (ACDUTRA) periods, thus denying the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for dysmetabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, asthma, and chronic allergic rhinitis. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.,Specifically, there was no medical evidence linking any of these conditions to service. The Board found that the veteran's current diagnoses predated his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the veteran's claimed conditions are related to service.