Chronic bronchitis decisions — 2025

The Board denied a compensable rating for chronic bronchitis but granted service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, to include chronic acid reflux, GERD and hernia hiatal, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bronchitis, a respiratory or pulmonary disability to account for shortness of breath, and sinusitis due to lack of evidence supporting current diagnoses.

The appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for a low back disability is dismissed, and the remaining claims are remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) and remanded several other claims, including lumbar spine disorder, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, bronchitis, pneumonia, and GERD. The appeals for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, insomnia disorder, kidney stones, and increased rating for bilateral hearing loss were dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer and remanded claims for bronchitis and emphysema due to potential exposure to jet fuel fumes.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis, degenerative disc disease, headaches/chronic migraines, and chronic joint pain as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis. The claims for bronchitis, lungs and chest burns, and hypertension are remanded due to the Veteran's participation in toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) and an indication of an association between the claimed disabilities and TERA.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for chronic bronchitis and chronic sinusitis, but remanded the claims for service connection for pleuritis and non-allergic rhinitis.

The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, uveitis of the right eye with increased ocular pressure and defective vision, increased ocular pressure of the left eye with defective vision, hypertension, a respiratory disorder (claimed as asthmatic bronchitis), a skin disability, sarcoid arthritis, chest pain, and an acquired psychiatric disability, to obtain new VA examinations.

The appeal is dismissed because it comes from a proposed rating reduction that has not been finalized, and the Veteran did not file a timely notice of disagreement for some claims.

The appeal was withdrawn by the Veteran's authorized representative, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review the appeal.

The Board remands the claims for a compensable initial rating for respiratory disability and an increased initial rating for right ankle strain due to insufficient evidence.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome and denied entitlement to service connection for bronchitis due to a lack of evidence showing current disability.

The Board denied service connection for actinic keratosis, chronic bronchitis, and tinnitus, as well as an increased evaluation for the acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board denied a compensable rating for chronic bronchitis and restless leg syndrome, but granted a 10 percent rating for costochondritis.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic bronchitis based on pulmonary function test results that did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative joint disease with degenerative disc disease and a maximum 100 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder from August 23, 2023, were granted; however, the claim for a higher rating for chronic bronchitis was denied.

The Board granted a 30 percent disability rating for migraines and denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for chronic bronchitis, while remanding several other claims.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for bronchitis due to an inadequate VA examination and opinion.

The Board denied service connection for chronic bronchitis and denied initial compensable ratings for the right eye condition, left ear hearing loss, and left knee condition.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bronchitis and pneumonia to obtain recent VA medical records.