COPD decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the current medical evidence of record is insufficient to rate the veteran's claim pursuant to the new regulations. Therefore, a remand is necessary to obtain a new VA examination which conforms to the new regulatory scheme.

The Board found no evidence of service connection for the claimed conditions, including COPD, hypertension, arthritis, dysthymic disorder, peptic ulcer disease, polyarthralgia, and hypothyroidism. The veteran's service medical records did not show any complaints or treatment related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and the need for clarification on the cause of death, including potential exposure to asbestos or Agent Orange.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, as well as a medical opinion regarding the relationship between the veteran's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and his service-connected asbestos exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of COPD and there is no evidence linking any diagnosed condition to service. As such, the claim for service connection for COPD is denied.

The veteran's cause of death was respiratory failure due to pneumonia and sepsis, with underlying conditions including COPD and pulmonary tuberculosis. The Board found no service connection for the cause of death and denied eligibility for nonservice-connected death pension benefits.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hospitalization at Norton Community Hospital for an emergency condition was necessary and that no feasible VA facilities were available, thus allowing reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses.

The veteran's service-connected COPD results in the loss of use of both lower extremities, which meets the criteria for special monthly compensation (SMC) and an automobile and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only.

The Board has determined that the veteran's COPD was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not related to herbicide exposure. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has decided that further development is needed, including obtaining SSA records and a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the veteran's COPD.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected hypertensive vascular disease caused or contributed substantially to his death, and thus grants service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a 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 death was not caused by VA treatment, and thus compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have COPD related to service or any exposure to radiation and/or mustard gas therein, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to insufficient evidence to decide the claims, including whether his current respiratory conditions are related to service.

The Board found that the veteran's current COPD, asthma, and emphysema are not related to service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center were not reimbursable due to the availability of a VA facility, and the veteran did not meet all criteria for reimbursement under applicable laws.

The Board found that the veteran's current COPD is not related to his service-connected pneumothorax residuals and denied both claims for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right-side numbness, arthritis, asbestos exposure, herbicide exposure, hypotension, and COPD. The evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board found no evidence linking the cause of death to service or service-connected disabilities, thus denying the claim for service connection for the cause of death. The DIC claim was also denied as there is no indication that the veteran had a continuous period of total disability prior to his death.