COPD decisions — 2005

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for the veteran's representative to review his claims file before a hearing can be scheduled.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability or other incident of service, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and further development of the claim.

The Board determined that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board finds that the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date are not supported by evidence showing a claim was filed prior to January 30, 2001. The effective dates for service connection and increased evaluation will be fixed in accordance with the facts found, but shall not be earlier than the date of receipt of application therefor.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling a VA audiology examination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertensive vascular disease and generalized anxiety disorder, finding no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The lung disorder claim is remanded due to insufficient examination findings.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current disability related to his military service for his claimed lumbar spine, left knee, and respiratory disorders. The evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, congestive heart failure, and Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex, including as secondary to exposure to ionizing radiation. The appeals were based on direct evidence of these conditions.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's claimed pulmonary disability, including COPD and chronic bronchitis, is not related to his military service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The VA determined that the veteran's COPD is not related to his military service, including any asbestos exposure. The Board found no nexus between the veteran's current COPD and his in-service asbestos exposure.

The Board is remanding the case to determine if the veteran was exposed to mustard gas in Bari, Italy during December 1943 and whether he developed any conditions related to that exposure. The appellant believes her husband's death may have been caused by his mustard gas exposure.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused or contributed to by any service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's emphysema/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and squamous cell carcinoma of the left vocal cord were not incurred or aggravated by active service. The claims are therefore denied.

The veteran is seeking service connection for COPD with emphysema, which he claims is related to his exposure to herbicide agents during service. The VA has not yet reviewed the necessary medical records from SSA and must do so before deciding this case.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder and headaches, finding that there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service or asbestos exposure.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that his fatal heart attack was not related to his active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a respiratory disability other than asthma, including COPD, that is related to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed disabilities, including residuals of a shrapnel wound of the left upper back and bilateral hearing loss, were not incurred or aggravated during active military service.

The veteran's cause of death was not related to his active duty service, and the appellant did not meet the one-year deadline for filing a claim for accrued benefits.