Chronic bronchitis decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD does not cause the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, thus denying his claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting opinions regarding whether the Veteran currently has a diagnosis of bronchitis, and therefore requires further examination to determine if any respiratory disability is related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bronchitis and/or asthma, as well as post-concussion syndrome (PCS), are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination. The appeals will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for emergency treatment at Weirton Medical Center on November 23, 2016 were reimbursed because his condition was severe and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis, acute bronchitis, and a left wrist ganglion cyst. The Veteran's claims are denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the nearest VA facility was feasibly available on December 29, 2017. The Veteran's private hospitalization for asthmatic bronchitis is deemed necessary and reasonable under the circumstances.

The Veteran's GERD is rated at a 10 percent disability rating, which is the maximum available under current regulations.,Service connection for bronchitis has been reopened and granted based on new evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and will seek additional information from the Veteran regarding his private treatment providers.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for various conditions due to exposure to herbicide agents and mustard gas has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee DJD, left foot diabetic ulcer, chronic bronchitis, and left foot cellulitis. The Board found no current diagnoses of these conditions in the record.,For the remanded issues, the Board will seek additional medical opinions to determine if there is a relationship between the Veteran's current hip flexor strain and knee synovitis with his service.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical opinions and a need for further examination. The Veteran's chronic bronchitis is being evaluated again to determine if it is related to service, including herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen claims for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, type II, asbestosis, bronchitis, and lumbosacral strain. However, the claim for service connection of PTSD is reopened due to newly submitted evidence.

The Board has dismissed all appeals for service connection and rating issues related to the Veteran's respiratory conditions, including COPD, asthma, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, high cholesterol, hypertension, GERD, diabetes mellitus type II, rhinitis (claimed as allergies), and obstructive sleep apnea. The effective date of service connection remains March 18, 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic bronchitis and a kidney condition, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,For chronic bronchitis, the Board determined that the Veteran did not have asbestos exposure during service and found that his current condition is not related to this exposure. For chronic kidney disease, the Board concluded that it was not present during service or within a year of separation.

The Board denied service connection for bronchitis, sleep apnea, and major depressive disorder as there was no evidence of these conditions in service or within one year after separation from service.,Service connection could not be established because the Veteran did not have a continuous diagnosis of these conditions since service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, claimed as asthma, is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and review of new evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder and back disabilities have been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.,Service connection for bronchitis has also been denied, with the presumption being that it began in or around 1966 to 1968.

The Board denied service connection for a lung disorder, including bronchitis or pulmonary vascular disease/thrombosis, and thrombosis of each lower extremity (LE), finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship to active service.,The Veteran's claims were based on his assertions of exposure to environmental hazards in Southwest Asia (SWA) during the Persian Gulf War (PGW).

The claim to reopen the seborrhea claim has been denied as new and material evidence was not received sufficient to reopen the claim.,The claim for sleep apnea has been denied as there is no current disability for VA purposes.,The claim for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as it does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,The claims for bronchitis and hypertension have been remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for eye conjunctivitis but dismissed the claims for chalazion of eye and bronchitis.