COPD decisions — 2014

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his active service. The Board also finds that the Veteran has established a nexus between his COPD and skin cancer with exposure to herbicide agents, specifically Agent Orange. Service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain a rationale from Dr. Pustilnik regarding his opinion that traumatic brain injury significantly contributed to death but was not related to the cause of death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's COPD and rectal cancer are not related to his military service, including herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected bronchial asthma with COPD was a contributory cause of his death, and the Board grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not proximately caused by VA treatment and thus denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension did not manifest during service and is not shown to be related to his military service. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is denied as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate notice and incomplete development of records, including treatment records from Cancer Treatment Centers of America. The VA will need to obtain terminal treatment records and determine if the Veteran's lung cancer and COPD were related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a supplemental medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's COPD.

The Board found that the Veteran's respiratory disorder, including COPD, did not manifest during service and is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident in service.

The Board has determined that additional records from Drs. Dartt and Nallinger, as well as Haggin Memorial Hospital, are needed to substantiate the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD. The case is being remanded for these purposes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including as secondary to service-connected disability. The case is also remanded for a new medical opinion regarding whether his accelerated silicosis has aggravated his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and a heart condition, finding that these conditions are not related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected asbestosis.,The Board also found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and to verify his stressors related to PTSD. The VA examinations are also rescheduled.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disability and TDIU are being remanded due to inadequate examination, interrelatedness of the issues, and need for additional VA treatment records.

The evidence does not support the claim that the Veteran's current respiratory disability, including COPD and emphysema, is related to his military service or asbestos exposure. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining ships logs and his complete military personnel file.

The Board found that the Veteran's current respiratory diagnoses, including COPD and emphysema, are not etiologically related to his active duty service, including asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and a bilateral eye disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VCAA notice and an opinion regarding secondary service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for asbestosis, finding that the Veteran was exposed to asbestos during his military service and that his current asbestosis is related to this exposure. The issue of whether COPD is also related to service is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, including residuals of pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his current diagnoses and their relation to service.