Chronic bronchitis decisions — 2015

The Veteran has a current diagnosis of bronchitis that first manifested during active service and is therefore granted service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD and ischemic heart disease, contributed to his death due to a motor vehicle accident. The cause of death is therefore determined to be related to service.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected chronic bronchitis is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and interpretation of the PFT test results.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed substantially or materially to his death, and whether his suicide was related to his severe chronic pain.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no current conditions that met the criteria for service connection, except for migraine headaches and erectile dysfunction (ED) with Peyronie's disease.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a social and industrial survey to assess his employability due to his service-connected bronchitis with right pneumothorax, postoperative.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for sinus disability and bronchitis, finding that there was no evidence of chronic conditions related to his military service.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected allergic rhinitis. The Board has granted this claim.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for any of the claimed conditions, as there is no credible evidence linking them to service or any incident therein.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, including asthma, is being remanded due to the failure of the Veteran to report for a VA examination and her pregnancy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to issues with the adequacy of a VA medical opinion and for additional development, including psychiatric examinations.

The Board denied service connection for COPD and asbestosis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service or asbestos exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions, including low back disability, groin injury residuals, pulled abdominal muscle, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), breathing condition (chronic bronchitis), colon cancer, H. pylori infection, diabetes mellitus, gout, and hemorrhoids (precancerous condition). The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting back disorder was not aggravated by any period of active duty or ACDUTRA service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hives, bladder infections, PID, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome of the hands, myopia (eye disability), vaginal yeast infections, toenail fungus, and a back condition have all been denied. The Veteran has not provided new evidence that would reopen any of these claims.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bronchitis and asthma was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current breathing problems and throat condition are not related to his military service, including exposure to asbestos and cement dust.

The Veteran's current diagnoses of asbestosis and chronic bronchitis are found to be related to his in-service asbestos exposure, resulting in a grant of service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for restoration of separate evaluations for his obstructive sleep apnea, bronchitis and asthma was denied as the January 2013 rating decision correctly applied the regulations to combine these conditions into a single evaluation.

The Veteran's COPD with bronchitis is manifested by post-bronchodilator FEV-1 of no less than 70 percent predicted, which does not meet the criteria for a higher initial disability rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's current pulmonary conditions, including COPD and bronchitis, are not related to his active service or exposure to herbicides. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current respiratory disability and denied his claim of service connection for a respiratory disability (claimed as bronchitis).