COPD decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating or service connection for any of the conditions listed.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for asbestosis is being remanded due to unclear information regarding the presence of COPD and conflicting medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected sleep apnea and respiratory disorder have been denied as they are not related to his military service or any other relevant factors. The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss has also been denied, but a remand is required for further evaluation.

The Board found that the Veteran's respiratory disorder and obstructive sleep apnea are not related to his active service, including exposure to asbestos. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current breathing disorders are not etiologically related to his active service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to obtain medical opinions regarding his claimed low back disability and respiratory disorders, including whether they are related to service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board denied all service connection claims, finding that the Veteran's residuals of a jaw fracture did not meet criteria for a compensable rating and his other conditions were not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's respiratory disabilities, including COPD, chronic bronchitis, and sleep apnea, are not related to his in-service exposure to asbestos and carbon toxins. The most probative evidence supports this conclusion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition, including COPD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his VA and SSA records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, to include pulmonary sarcoidosis, is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional evidence from the Social Security Administration.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records from January 1995 to May 1999. The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and asthma due to asbestos exposure will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's respiratory, heart failure and dementia conditions are not related to his active service. The Board found that the appellant did not provide sufficient evidence to establish a direct or secondary relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for emphysema and COPD, finding that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a left wrist disability, and COPD. The evidence does not establish that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's asbestosis is not productive of any functional impairment and his restrictive and obstructive defects are due to nonservice-connected COPD and congestive heart failure. As such, an initial compensable rating for asbestosis is denied.

The Board has ordered the VA to obtain all relevant treatment records related to the Veteran's July 2006 surgery, including pre-surgery treatment records from Sacred Heart Medical Center. The case is now remanded for further development and readjudication.

The Veteran's lung disability, diagnosed as COPD, bronchiectasis, and mild restrictive lung disease, was not incurred in service or due to a service-connected condition. The claim of entitlement to TDIU lacks legal merit.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to have caused or contributed substantially to his death from adult failure to thrive with generalized debility, due to COPD, chronic respiratory failure, and congestive heart failure.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his left knee disability was denied as new and material evidence had not been received.,Service connection for COPD was also denied, with the Board finding that there is no causal relationship between service and current COPD.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 30 percent for COPD is being remanded due to the need for a current VA examination and opinion regarding the appropriate PFT results used for rating purposes.