Chronic bronchitis Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for COPD and chronic bronchitis, finding no evidence of asbestos exposure or herbicide agent exposure. The Veteran's current respiratory conditions are attributed to smoking.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory/lung disorder, finding that his lung and respiratory disorders were more likely due to smoking rather than herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral shoulder disability, respiratory condition (bronchitis and asthma), bilateral ankle disability, back disability, and neck disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The AOJ is instructed to verify dates of active duty training and inactive duty training, obtain any outstanding VA or private treatment records, and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bronchitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and depression due to missing medical treatment records from service. The Veteran is also referred for a VA examination to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases of hypertension and sleep apnea for additional examinations to determine their relationship to service. The Veteran's bronchitis claim was withdrawn.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma disorder and bronchitis, as well as her request for an initial compensable rating for headache disability prior to May 15, 2013, have all been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic bronchitis with history of pneumonia, tinea pedis, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition due to incomplete information and need for updated examinations.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is denied as there was no diagnosis of hearing loss in the right ear during the appeal period.,Service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, respiratory disorder (rhinitis, asthmatic bronchitis, bronchitis, obstructive sleep apnea), CAD, autoimmune insufficiency with orthostatic hypotension and memory problems, and hyperlipidemia is denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection for bilateral knee disorder is denied as the Veteran did not step foot in Vietnam or have other qualifying service. The Board found subjective arthralgia but acknowledged the Veteran's competence to report on his symptoms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including left hand contusion, cervical spine disability, lumbar and thoracic spine disabilities, bilateral foot disabilities, sleep apnea, and bronchitis. The reasons given were that there was no current evidence to support these claims or a link between the conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for chronic bronchitis was dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection. The Veteran's sleep apnea is remanded for further examination, and the respiratory disability (chronic bronchitis) claim remains pending.

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.