COPD decisions — 2011

The Veteran's cause of death was not proximately due to VA carelessness, negligence, or similar instance of fault in providing medical treatment. The event (collapsed lung) was reasonably foreseeable.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, migraine headaches, a back condition, and COPD. The decision found that there was no evidence of an onset in service or relationship to service.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a right foot injury and denied service connection for COPD with bronchitis and emphysema.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and review of his post-service occupational history.

The Board found that the Veteran's COPD and emphysema did not have onset during service or due to service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic sinusitis and rhinitis are not shown to meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation, as there is no evidence of incapacitating episodes or significant nasal obstruction. The Veteran's service-connected asbestos exposure syndrome and COPD do not warrant an increased rating due to lack of supporting medical documentation.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by or substantially contributed to by any service-connected disability, and thus denied his claims for cause of death benefits.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to WPW syndrome, which had its onset in service. The appellant withdrew her appeals seeking nonservice-connected death pension and accrued benefits.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax has contributed to a decrement in pulmonary function testing and FVC values, warranting a 10 percent disability rating.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's disability rating from 100% to 10% was void ab initio due to lack of a full and complete examination, thus denying the reduction.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's COPD and lung injury were not incurred in service, and thus denied service connection for these conditions. The claim was also denied for residuals of a back injury.

The Veteran's death is being remanded for further development and consideration of his claim for service connection for the cause of his death, which he claimed was due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran seeks service connection for COPD. The VA has determined that a medical opinion is needed to determine if the current diagnosis of COPD began in service, and thus may be related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's COPD, bilateral hearing loss, idiopathic peripheral neuropathy, and lung cancer are presumed to have been incurred due to exposure to chemical toxins and nuclear radiation during service.

The Veteran's lung disability, including COPD and chronic bronchitis, is being remanded for further development to clarify the relationship between any current conditions and service.

The Board has granted a 10% rating for the Veteran's service-connected hemorrhoids. The claims to reopen for COPD, burn injury of the hands, and ganglion cyst of the right wrist remain in an 'unknown' status as no new and material evidence was provided.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD/acute bronchitis must be remanded due to incomplete records and need for further medical examination.

The Veteran's cause of death was cardiorespiratory arrest, with pulmonary fibrosis and chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) as contributing factors. The Board found no evidence to support the appellant's claim that the Veteran was exposed to asbestos in service, which is necessary for a service-connected cause of death claim. Therefore, the appeal was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a respiratory disorder and a back disorder, finding that there was no direct evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further development and readjudication, including de novo review of the claim of service connection for bronchial asthma. The COPD claim will be considered in light of this determination.