COPD decisions — 2006

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for respiratory disorders, including COPD, emphysema, and asbestosis, to include as due to exposure to ionizing radiation because there was no evidence of a chronic respiratory disorder in service or related to military service. The veteran did not meet the definitions of a radiation-exposed veteran or one who engaged in a radiation-risk activity.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to his active service and have denied all claims for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle and right shoulder disabilities, as well as COPD. The evidence did not support a finding of current disability or a nexus to service.

The Board found that the veteran's nicotine dependence and COPD were not incurred or aggravated during his active military service. The Board concluded that the veteran did not develop these conditions in service, nor could they be attributed to any service-acquired nicotine dependence.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development to obtain missing treatment records and provide a VA examiner with an etiological opinion regarding the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not due to his service-connected conditions, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that COPD did not result from service and was not caused by a service-connected disability.

The veteran's COPD is granted as secondary to tobacco use related to service, while his peripheral vascular disease is denied as not incurred during or as a consequence of service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, osteoarthritis of both hands, shoulders, hips and legs due to lack of a current disability. The claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the lower back is remanded as there was no SOC issued.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right knee disability did not cause or contribute to his death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection, concluding that his current lung disability was not related to or caused by his military service.

The veteran's death was due to COPD, which is not service-connected. The Board dismissed the claim as there is no evidence of asbestos exposure during service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lung disability, including COPD and emphysema, is not related to his active service.

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

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have bilateral pes cavus with hammer toe deformity bilaterally and a heel spur on the plantar aspect of the left foot or asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that are causally related to service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board denied service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and respiratory cancer, both as being due to exposure to herbicides.

The Board has granted a 60% disability rating for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, effective from the date of the decision. The total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is remanded.

The Board has determined that the appellant's Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, and hypothyroidism are not related to her period of active duty for training from May to June 1997. As a result, these claims have been denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected asbestosis does not warrant a compensable evaluation, and his claim for COPD is denied.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully and fairly consider the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and sinusitis. The RO must obtain all relevant medical records, including those from VA clinics in Nevada, Ohio, and Washington D.C., as well as any Social Security Administration disability determination regarding the veteran's claim(s).