Chronic bronchitis decisions — 2000

The Board has remanded the case to the regional office for obtaining additional VA outpatient treatment records and a chest X-ray report, which were not previously considered. The veteran's claim will be adjudicated again based on these new documents.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a lung disorder, including asthmatic bronchitis. The new evidence shows that asthma developed after service and is not related to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bronchitis, pneumonia, and COPD, as well as his requests for increased ratings for maxillary sinusitis with allergic rhinitis and deviated nasal septum. The effective date of TDIU was also not granted.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for nicotine dependence, sinusitis and bronchitis due to cigarette smoking, bilateral hearing loss disability, and bilateral tinnitus as his claims were not well-grounded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and an undiagnosed illness, finding no current evidence of a hearing loss disability. The claim for an undiagnosed illness was not well-grounded due to lack of medical evidence showing signs or symptoms of such an illness.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, an eye condition, and a respiratory condition. The RO initially denied these claims in May 1995 on the merits based on lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current respiratory conditions, including bilateral pneumothoraces, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis and pleurisy, are related to his service-connected tuberculosis. The evidence is in equipoise regarding this relationship.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic bronchitis and laryngitis, finding no credible evidence of full-body mustard gas exposure during active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed respiratory, skin and eye disorders are not due to mustard gas exposure during service. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board has determined that there is no medical evidence showing a nexus between any current sinusitis, bronchitis, and bronchiectasis and service. Therefore, the claims of entitlement to service connection for these conditions are denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of pneumonia, a disorder causing right abdominal pain, bronchitis, and bleeding scars are not well grounded. Therefore, these claims have been denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection are not well grounded and there is no further duty to assist in developing facts pertinent to these claims. The abdominal disorder was incurred in service, but the residuals of a nose fracture do not warrant an increased evaluation.