Chronic bronchitis decisions — 2022

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and lower extremity disorder were not shown to be related to service, while GERD and COPD/bronchitis were diagnosed during his lifetime.,Service connection for the claimed conditions is being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has remanded them due to insufficient evidence of a nexus between his conditions and service. The case will be further developed regarding exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's lung disease, including interstitial fibrosis and chronic bronchitis with pulmonary hypertension, is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 100 percent. The effective date for this grant of service connection is August 8, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with previous remand instructions. The Veteran's lung disorders are being reviewed again for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, and the Board has remanded these issues to obtain medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for COPD, bronchitis, PTSD, hypertension, and hypertensive heart disease due to lack of evidence supporting a direct link between these conditions and military service. The claims are also remanded for additional medical opinions regarding potential links to herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's respiratory disability, specifically whether it is related to service in Southwest Asia.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for respiratory disability, bilateral hearing loss, and type II diabetes mellitus due to incomplete information and treatment records. The Veteran is required to provide authorization for VA to obtain his private medical records from Dr. Szulawski, Leopold & Creighton, Geisinger Health Clinic, and any other relevant records. Additionally, the AOJ must attempt to verify the Veteran's reported exposure to herbicide agents during service and obtain all relevant VA treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for chronic bronchitis, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service or any other service-connected disability.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's respiratory disabilities and their relation to service, particularly asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and occupational background.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for nasal and lung disorders due to incomplete compliance with previous remand directives. The Veteran's nasal disorder may be related to service, but the clinician applied an incorrect standard in rendering a negative opinion. For his lung disorder, there is insufficient evidence to establish a nexus beyond the natural progression of the disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a respiratory disorder, right hip disability, and scar of the right hip are granted. The claim for an initial compensable rating for hypertension is denied.

The Veteran's COPD has not met the criteria for a compensable rating prior to January 6, 2022, and a rating in excess of 10 percent from that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his in-service upper respiratory infections or service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's respiratory disorder and its relationship to service, including herbicide exposure.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals, and the Board dismissed the appeal due to the withdrawal.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for bronchitis and COPD due to inadequate medical opinions regarding exposure to burn pits and fuel fumes, as well as secondary service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for chronic bronchitis is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that her current condition began during service or is related to an in-service injury.,The Veteran's claim for recurring pilonidal cyst is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability and the examiner found no recurrence after service. ,The Veteran's claim for a nose disability other than sinusitis is remanded due to the need for additional development regarding her right hip disability.,The Veteran's claim for a right hip disability is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding whether in-service surgery created an additional disability.,The Veteran's claim for a left jaw disability is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding whether in-service surgery created an additional disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to failure to appear for a VA examination and the Board finds that an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic bronchitis is not warranted throughout the appeal period. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded as he does not meet the schedular requirements for TDIU.