COPD decisions — 2007

The veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and no jurisdiction remains for the merits of the claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death, finding no objective evidence relating his death to service. The Board concluded that there was no relationship between any diagnosed conditions and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that no disability incurred in or aggravated by service caused or contributed to his death.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including COPD and PTSD, render him unemployable.

The Board found no evidence of aggravation or superimposed disorder during service, and there is insufficient medical evidence to support the veteran's claim that his COPD was caused by exposure to herbicides. The appeal is denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for COPD with bronchial asthma and coccidiomycosis is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records from Brandon Hospital and Dr. Enriquez.

The veteran is seeking service connection for COPD, emphysema, and bronchitis. The VA has ordered a remand to provide the veteran with an examination to determine if his lung diseases are related to asbestos exposure during service.

The veteran's unauthorized medical services provided by a private hospital were denied as the condition did not constitute an emergency and no VA facilities were feasibly available.

The veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, and he had service-connected disabilities that were rated as totally disabling for a continuous period of at least one year immediately preceding his death. However, the claim is denied because the veteran did not meet the requirement of having been continuously rated totally disabled by VA for 10 years or more immediately preceding his death.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to a lack of evidence linking COPD and arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease to active military service.

The veteran is seeking service connection for a respiratory disorder, including emphysema and COPD, due to asbestos exposure during his Merchant Marine service. The Board has ordered additional development of the case, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.

The VA determined that the veteran's COPD did not start during his military service and could not be presumed to have been caused by exposure to mustard gas or ionizing radiation. The Board found no evidence of an in-service injury leading to COPD.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have laryngeal cancer or COPD as a result of disease or injury incurred during his active military service. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and thus denied his claims for DIC benefits and dependent's educational assistance.

The veteran seeks increased ratings for his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder and a new rating for his hypertension. The issues of service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are being remanded.,The veteran is seeking an increase in the evaluation for his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder, which currently results in a 70 percent disability rating effective from August 30, 2005. He also seeks service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as secondary to his PTSD and exposure to Agent Orange.,The veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder is currently rated at 70 percent disabling since August 30, 2005.

The Board has determined that the veteran's COPD is not related to his service-connected tuberculosis and therefore, denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case to consider whether the veteran's atherosclerotic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are related to his military service, including exposure to harsh conditions during combat.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lung and heart disabilities are not service-connected, as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any presumptive exposure. The claims for service connection have been denied.

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

The veteran is seeking service connection for COPD/bronchitis, which he claims was caused by smoke exposure in his military occupational specialty as a smoke generator operator. The Board has ordered additional development to determine the etiology of his current respiratory problems and whether they are related to his active service.