COPD decisions — 2005

The Board denied all service connection claims, finding no evidence of a relationship between the veteran's current conditions and his military service or exposure to herbicides.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology and onset of his claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that medical expenses reported after the veteran's death can be considered in determining the appellant's eligibility for accrued benefits for the purpose of receiving reimbursement for medical expenses paid on behalf of the veteran during his last sickness. The RO is now required to make a determination as to the veteran's countable income for 2003 and readjudicate the issue.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, finding that there is no basis to establish a link between the veteran's COPD and military service, including any Agent Orange exposure therein.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and COPD, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for COPD. The Board also found that there was insufficient evidence to establish presumptive service connection for diabetes mellitus due to exposure in Vietnam.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's service to his cause of death, which was attributed to atherosclerotic heart disease and other conditions.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that his peripheral vascular disease did not contribute to his death.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for compliance with the terms of a joint motion for remand, which includes providing VCAA notification and obtaining additional evidence.

The VA medical care provided to the veteran at a VA facility did not cause an additional and unanticipated disorder that contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death (pneumonia) was not service-connected, as there is no evidence linking any of the listed conditions to his time in service.

The veteran died of a myocardial infarction due to gastrointestinal bleeding and esophageal varices, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease contributing but not related to the cause. The Board found that there was no service-connected disability causing or substantially contributing to his death.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, concluding that the condition is not related to service or any in-service event.

The Board found that the veteran's COPD was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service and denied the claim.

The veteran's cause of death was not service-connected due to the lack of a direct link between his conditions and his military service, including exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding whether COPD was aggravated by service-connected residuals of a gunshot wound to the left chest and if it contributed substantially or materially to cause the veteran's death.

The veteran's heart condition, including hypertension, heart disease, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure, was not shown to have been incurred in service. COPD was also not shown to be related to service. The issue of dental condition for treatment purposes is referred to the RO.

The veteran's COPD and emphysema are found to be related to his exposure to asbestos during service, warranting service connection.

The Board found that the submitted evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for service connection for a lung disorder, to include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including COPD, asthma, hypertension, and basal cell carcinoma. The veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation during service was found to be less than one rem, which is insufficient to establish a presumptive basis for these conditions.