Chronic bronchitis decisions — 2018

The appeal for service connection of COPD has been withdrawn and dismissed. The claims for diabetes mellitus, type II; bronchitis; gastrointestinal disorder; skin disorder of the inner thighs and under arms; and skin disorder of the feet have been remanded due to inextricably intertwined issues.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation of his service-connected chronic bronchitis and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining medical records.

All pending claims for service connection and increased ratings are dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's asthma and recurrent bronchitis, IBS, PTSD (prior to September 1, 2017), PTSD (from September 1, 2017 onwards), restless leg syndrome, and chronic headaches have been granted service connection. The rating for PTSD has been increased from 50% to 70%.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for breathing disorder/bronchitis, coronary artery disease, status post myocardial infarction, headaches, and psychiatric disability (claimed as PTSD) due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset or relationship of these conditions to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for bronchitis and ischemic heart disease secondary to asbestos exposure, and left knee disability are denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including hip disorders, bronchitis, pulmonary vascular disease, traumatic arthritis, and TBI. The decision also includes a request for clarification on the appellant's eligibility as a surviving spouse due to potential marriage disputes.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep impairment is being remanded due to its inextricability with his claims for bronchitis and left knee disability. The other issues will be addressed separately.

Service connection is granted for a left ankle disability, bronchitis, and pericarditis.,Increased ratings of 10 percent are assigned for the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for COPD and chronic bronchitis, finding no evidence of asbestos exposure or herbicide agent exposure. The Veteran's current respiratory conditions are attributed to smoking.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory/lung disorder, finding that his lung and respiratory disorders were more likely due to smoking rather than herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral shoulder disability, respiratory condition (bronchitis and asthma), bilateral ankle disability, back disability, and neck disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The AOJ is instructed to verify dates of active duty training and inactive duty training, obtain any outstanding VA or private treatment records, and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bronchitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and depression due to missing medical treatment records from service. The Veteran is also referred for a VA examination to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases of hypertension and sleep apnea for additional examinations to determine their relationship to service. The Veteran's bronchitis claim was withdrawn.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma disorder and bronchitis, as well as her request for an initial compensable rating for headache disability prior to May 15, 2013, have all been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic bronchitis with history of pneumonia, tinea pedis, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition due to incomplete information and need for updated examinations.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is denied as there was no diagnosis of hearing loss in the right ear during the appeal period.,Service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, respiratory disorder (rhinitis, asthmatic bronchitis, bronchitis, obstructive sleep apnea), CAD, autoimmune insufficiency with orthostatic hypotension and memory problems, and hyperlipidemia is denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection for bilateral knee disorder is denied as the Veteran did not step foot in Vietnam or have other qualifying service. The Board found subjective arthralgia but acknowledged the Veteran's competence to report on his symptoms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including left hand contusion, cervical spine disability, lumbar and thoracic spine disabilities, bilateral foot disabilities, sleep apnea, and bronchitis. The reasons given were that there was no current evidence to support these claims or a link between the conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for chronic bronchitis was dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection. The Veteran's sleep apnea is remanded for further examination, and the respiratory disability (chronic bronchitis) claim remains pending.