Chronic bronchitis decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for pes planus, bronchitis, hypertension, and headaches have been remanded due to incomplete development.

The Veteran's respiratory disorders, including COPD and bronchitis, were not shown to be related to service or any presumptive exposure to herbicides. The VA examiner found the conditions more likely due to his smoking history.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, previously characterized as COPD, is reopened. The appeal is remanded to determine the nature and etiology of his current respiratory disorders.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include secondary service connection for various disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus granting his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a respiratory condition (previously claimed as bronchitis), sleep condition, and headaches secondary to his service-connected depressive disorder is granted. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral eye condition is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bronchitis, asthma, ulcers, rectal bleeding, and stomach condition (GERD) due to insufficient evidence linking these conditions to his military service. Additional examinations are needed to determine if there is a relationship between the Veteran's current diagnoses and his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical records and a need for an opinion regarding the Veteran's cause of death. The Appellant is seeking service connection for cause of death, but there are no private or VA treatment records available. Additionally, verification of in-service herbicide exposure is needed.

The Board denied service connection for a gastric disorder and respiratory disorder, as well as an initial disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD. The Veteran's TDIU was granted but only up to December 14, 2015, and SMC at the housebound rate was granted effective March 9, 2016.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a respiratory disability due to an undiagnosed illness, as there is insufficient evidence in the record regarding his claimed conditions and their relation to service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for recurrent bronchitis, dermatitis on face and ears, nephrolithiasis (kidney stones), and ehrlichiosis is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals. The Board also denied service connection for these conditions due to lack of current disability.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of degenerative osteoarthritis, bronchitis, seborrheic keratosis, a low back disorder, a rectal abscess status post excision, and headaches with dizziness have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded these issues for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for chronic bronchitis (also claimed as asthma) is being remanded due to incomplete medical records and the need for further examination.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for obstructive lung disease with bronchitis, finding that there was no evidence of permanent aggravation during periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA). The appellant's preexisting lung disability was determined to have existed prior to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development regarding his claims of service connection and increased ratings for bronchitis, pneumonia, malaria disability, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus. The VA will obtain private medical records from prior to 2009 and conduct new examinations to determine the severity of these disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, has been reopened. The restoration of the 10 percent rating for post-operative release trigger finger is granted.,The Veteran’s left upper extremity radiculopathy with numbness remains at a 20 percent evaluation.

The Board denied the petitions to reopen claims for service connection for various conditions, including allergic rhinitis, bronchitis, athlete's foot, right foot fracture, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, eczema, and cellulitis of the right hand. The evidence did not show current disabilities during the appeals period.

The Veteran requested to withdraw the appeal of her service-connected chronic bronchitis evaluation, and the Board has dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's multiple disabilities are being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding their etiology, as the current evidence is insufficient to determine if they are related to her exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during active service.