COPD decisions — 2003

The veteran's death was caused by a service-connected disability. The respiratory disease is considered to be aggravated by the service-connected psychiatric disability, and the anxiety neurosis meets the criteria for a 100% rating. There is no evidence of entitlement to an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss at the time of his death.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly his arthritis and pulmonary conditions, contributed to his death from a head injury sustained during an accidental fall.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's COPD to his service, including exposure to tear gas during his second period of active duty. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a sinus condition and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as a result of herbicide exposure, finding no evidence of such conditions in service or any link to service.

The Board has ordered further development in the veteran's case due to incomplete records and needs clarification on issues related to tinnitus, COPD, skin disorder, and PTSD.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is as likely as not to be proximately due to his nicotine dependence and years of smoking cigarettes that occurred as a result of that dependence, incurred during his period of active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, finding no evidence of a nexus between his current respiratory disorder and his period of active service or to exposure to ionizing radiation during service.

The cause of the veteran's death was dementia of Alzheimer's type, which is not related to his service-connected conditions.,The appellant did not have a permanent total service-connected disability at the time of her husband's death and there is no evidence that his death was due to a service-connected condition.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for VA examinations to assess his COPD, epididymitis of the left testicle, and cholecystectomy residuals.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary and the case is being remanded to the RO for further action.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination to determine the severity of his service-connected respiratory disability.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD, finding that the veteran's nicotine dependence during military service led to his current condition.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various pulmonary disorders, hypertension, chronic sore throat, tinea corpus (claimed as a body rash), and a plantar wart of the right foot. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions are related to military service.

The veteran's calcified granuloma, right lung was incurred in service. The veteran's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is not related to service or asbestos exposure.

The Board denied service connection for basal cell carcinoma of the neck, COPD and porphyria cutanea tarda on the basis that there was no evidence linking these conditions to active duty or exposure to herbicides.

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death, gastric cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, was not related to his military service or any exposure to Agent Orange or radiation.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and migraine headaches, finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral foot disorder and COPD with left upper lobe nodule, finding no current disability or evidence of in-service disease or injury related to these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for nicotine dependence and secondary service connection for COPD due to the veteran's history of smoking during military service.

The veteran's heart and respiratory conditions do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension by reason of being housebound.