COPD decisions — 2006

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for COPD on an accrued basis due to lack of evidence supporting a relationship between the veteran's military service and his COPD.

The Board has granted service connection for nicotine dependence, coronary artery disease (CAD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and peripheral vascular disease as secondary to the veteran's nicotine dependence.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for residuals of pneumonia, including COPD, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim.

The Board denied service connection for COPD and did not reopen the claim for schizophrenia due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records and a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his COPD.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for asthma and COPD was dismissed due to the death of the veteran.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for hiatal hernia with reflux esophagitis, COPD, and plantar fasciitis of the left foot were denied by the Board. The veteran is not entitled to a rating in excess of 10 percent for his hiatal hernia, does not meet criteria for a compensable rating for COPD, and meets schedular criteria for a 10 percent rating for his plantar fasciitis.

The veteran seeks service connection for a respiratory disability, including COPD and asthma. He also seeks an increased rating for his diabetes mellitus. The case is being remanded to gather additional evidence and conduct further evaluation.

The Board finds that the veteran's atherosclerotic heart disease, which is presumed to be service-connected due to his status as a former POW, contributed to his death. The Board grants service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status due to his overall functional independence.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the December 1988 rating decision denying service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, as there was no evidence linking the service-connected bronchial asthma to his cause of death at that time.

The Board found that the veteran's current emphysema with COPD is not related to his service, including exposure to asbestos during military service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral varicose veins are not related to service, while her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is attributable to her period of active service.

The veteran's lung disability is not related to his exposure to herbicides and was not incurred during service. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder and lung disorder, as well as his claim for an increased rating for lumbar fibromyositis. The VA medical opinions provided no evidence of a chronic skin or lung disorder related to military service.

The Board found that the cause of death (septicemia due to urinary tract infection) was not caused or aggravated by any service-connected condition. The other conditions contributing to death were not related to service.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating are being remanded due to incomplete development, including the need for a VA examination regarding his COPD and left knee disability.

The veteran's COPD is determined to be related to his in-service inhalation of smoke and chemical fumes, thus service connection for COPD is granted.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims, including obtaining medical records and providing proper notice to the appellant.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, COPD, and recurrent kidney infections due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.