Chronic bronchitis decisions — 2010

The Veteran's sinusitis is currently rated as noncompensable, but the Board finds that a 10 percent rating is warranted.,Service connection for bronchitis cannot be established based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected left and right elbow tendonitis, hypothyroidism, allergic rhinitis, asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, and depression. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for malaria was denied as there is no evidence of current diagnosis or treatment for the disease. The claims for COPD and PTSD were not addressed due to the remand.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current pulmonary disorders are related to his in-service asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of his asbestos exposure claim. The issue of prostate cancer will be addressed in a separate Board decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, even though they do not result in a combined 100 percent schedular evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to her failure to appear for scheduled VA examinations. She was not provided with proper notice of the examinations and requested another examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, respiratory condition, right knee condition, and skin rash were denied. The claim for heart disease was granted with a rating of unspecified.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal, leaving no issues for the Board to consider.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and possibly a VA examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, gastrointestinal disorder (GERD), sinusitis, and bronchitis. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or a nexus to service.

The Board found that there is no evidence to support service connection for any of the claimed conditions, including bronchitis, sinusitis, intervertebral disc syndrome, migraine headaches, arthritis of the elbows and knees. The claim was denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for pleurisy and right ear hearing loss was denied. The Board found no current disability of pleurisy, but determined that the Veteran had a current disability of right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran seeks service connection for COPD, asthma, and bronchitis, including as secondary to exposure to herbicides during his Vietnam service. The Board finds that a VA examination is necessary to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for bronchitis and bronchiectasis with asthma was granted, but the RO re-characterized her disability as bronchitis and bronchiectasis with asthma. The current effective date is not specified in the decision.

The Veteran does not currently have any of the claimed conditions and there is no service connection granted for any condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The effective dates for the granted benefits are established.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back and cervical spine disorders, as well as his swelling of the wrist, fingers, and knees, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The gastrointestinal disorder was also denied due to lack of evidence connecting it to service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bronchitis/COPD and found that new evidence received since the October 1969 denial is sufficient to reopen the claim. The Veteran's service record shows a diagnosis of chronic bronchitis during service, but there is no clear and unmistakable evidence showing that his condition existed prior to service or was aggravated by service.