COPD decisions — 2012

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, PAD, and COPD. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, skin cancer, and skin rashes due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,There is no current diagnosis or evidence of skin cancer at any time during the appeal period.

The Veteran's respiratory disorder, including COPD, emphysema, bronchitis, and asthma, is not presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for metastatic renal cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining VA treatment records prior to May 2006 and any private treatment records from St. Josephs.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a respiratory disorder, including as secondary to in-service asbestos exposure. The Board finds the claim remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between current respiratory issues and service.

The Board found that the Veteran's COPD is not related to his active duty service or exposure to asbestos, lead tetroxide, and gunpowder contaminants. The evidence does not establish a link between these conditions and the development of COPD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and ischemic heart disease, are not related to his active service or any service-connected disabilities. The appeal is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have COPD, sleep apnea, or calcified hilar nodes that manifested in service or for years following service discharge. The VA physician's opinion based on a CT scan is more probative than the private physician's opinion regarding asbestosis.

The Board found that the Veteran's COPD results from his exposure to asbestos during service, and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's current lung disability, including pneumonia and COPD, is not related to his active service. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a relationship between his current COPD and active duty service or any exposure therein. The Board also found no asbestos-related lung disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and respiratory disorders, finding no credible evidence linking current disabilities to military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma is granted, while his claim for a lung disorder other than asthma is denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board found that the Veteran's asbestosis is not more than noncompensable due to its being secondary to his service-connected COPD. The bilateral hearing loss was assigned a 10% rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Guillain-Barre syndrome, a lung disability secondary to asbestos exposure, and chronic myeloid leukemia secondary to radiation exposure. The evidence did not support a nexus between any of these conditions and his periods of active duty or National Guard service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical services at Northwest Texas Hospital were not reimbursable because a VA facility was feasibly available and an attempt to use them beforehand would have been reasonable.