COPD decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a pulmonary disorder, to include COPD, is being remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion from the March 2014 DBQ examiner.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Columbus Community Hospital were not covered by VA or other Federal facilities due to the emergent nature of his condition and the unavailability of VA facilities. The Veteran had coverage under Medicare, making him personally liable for the treatment.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent, effective prior to May 13, 2014. The rating is based on the severity of symptoms such as isolation, depression, sleep disturbance with nightmares, social anxiety, panic attacks, avoidance, irritability, angry outbursts, occasional suicidal and homicidal thoughts, and some memory issues.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, right ear hearing loss, and increased rating for left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and ischemic heart disease are being remanded due to the need for further development regarding exposure to Agent Orange during his active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with VA examinations to evaluate his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right lower extremity cellulitis with superficial phlebitis, left lower extremity cellulitis with superficial phlebitis, COPD, and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's COPD is currently diagnosed, and the Board has determined that a VA examination should be conducted to determine its likely etiology. The appeal will be remanded for this purpose.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability. However, it denied his claims of service connection for COPD and asbestosis/asbestos exposure-related disease due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for a pulmonary examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of any lung disability found. The claims will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a hearing and obtaining an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's COPD is not related to his military service, including exposure to diesel fumes while stationed in Germany. The weight of evidence indicates that the Veteran's COPD resulted from smoking cigarettes for several decades after leaving the service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for COPD and granted it. The effective date for the award of service connection for asbestosis, lung cancer, and left upper lobectomy scars is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his esophageal cancer to his service or any service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the appeal is remanded to obtain additional medical records and a medical opinion regarding whether any condition diagnosed at the time of the Veteran's death was caused or aggravated by military service, including exposure to asbestos as a combat engineer.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and GERD, as well as his TDIU claim, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for COPD due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, and it also determined that there was no evidence linking the current GERD symptoms to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be etiologically related to noise exposure during active military service, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing. The issues of service connection and reopening claims are still pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the etiology of his respiratory disabilities and whether new evidence supports reopening his prior service connection claim.