Chronic bronchitis decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of diagnosed respiratory/pulmonary disorders, including COPD and other conditions. The Veteran's service connection claim is pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's asthma is related to his service. The other issues remain pending.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left ankle disability, left kidney disability, foot disability with pain, fungus of both toes, bronchitis, and sinusitis due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination.

The Veteran's obstructive lung disease, including COPD and bronchitis, is not service-connected as it is neither proximately due to nor aggravated by his service-connected restrictive lung disease.,Prior to June 6, 2016, the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss was rated at 20 percent. Beginning June 6, 2016, the rating for bilateral hearing loss has been increased to 30 percent.

The Board has denied service connection for high cholesterol as it is not a disability recognized by VA. The remaining issues on appeal are being remanded due to the Veteran's assertion of increased severity since his last examination.

The appeal to reopen the previously denied claim for bronchitis and headaches is dismissed. The appeal for service connection of a back disability is remanded, as new evidence has been received. The appeal for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for hypertension, as there is no opinion on whether it is related to herbicide agent exposure.,For rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis was diagnosed but not linked to service. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for COPD and chronic bronchitis due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran's pulmonary disabilities are believed to be related to her smoking history, which is not directly linked to service.

The Board denied service connection for bronchitis and asthma, as well as an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left and right knee strains. The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea may be related to his service-connected bronchitis and sinusitis, but needs further clarification based on additional medical evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and the retrieval of outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a relationship to service.,Service connection for tinnitus is also denied, with the Board finding that any condition began decades after service and not related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus, sleep apnea, pulmonary hypertension, COPD, bronchitis, and asthma are granted as service-connected.,A 10 percent rating is granted for the fractured proximal joint right great toe with degenerative arthritis since July 7, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right wrist, right ankle, and first metatarsophalangeal joint conditions have been denied.,His claim for a higher rating for pleuritic chest pain with pleural adhesions, chronic bronchitis, and COPD has also been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's asthmatic bronchitis is related to his active service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for upper back pain, respiratory disorders, pleural effusion/pneumothorax, ulcers, GERD, erectile dysfunction, infectious mononucleosis, migraines, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for otitis media, tinnitus, and skin disability are granted. The claim for low back disability is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine disability, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, hypertension, sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis, arthritis, and joint pain. The decision was based on lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis in multiple joints (excluding the low back), an eye disability, sinusitis, bronchitis, kidney disease, erectile dysfunction, and skin disability. The decision also dismissed appeals for residuals of malaria and skin cancer.

The Veteran's Graves' Disease, acute bronchitis, and bilateral kneecap dislocations are remanded for further development. Specifically, the AOJ is required to contact all likely sources that may contain information of the Veteran’s claimed exposure to radiation and complete a dose estimate if necessary. The AOJ must also arrange for an examination by an endocrinologist to determine the etiology of Graves' Disease and whether it was incurred during service or due to exposure to fumes from burning oil wells or ionizing radiation.