COPD decisions — 2005

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of service personnel records and the need to determine if the veteran had duty or visitation in Vietnam, which could affect his claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence is not new and material to reopen the claim of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death. The appellant's claims have been previously addressed, and the current assertions are considered cumulative.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for service connection for lung cancer and to reopen his claim of service connection for COPD. The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's lung cancer or COPD to his active military service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for COPD and/or emphysema, claimed as due to asbestos exposure during service is being remanded for further development.

The Board found that the veteran does not have asbestosis or any other asbestos-related disease and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the cause of death was a subdural hematoma caused by blunt force trauma, but service connection for the cause of death is not established as neither hypertensive cardiovascular disease nor COPD were present in service or until years thereafter and are not etiologically related to service.