COPD decisions — 2018

The Veteran's benign pleural plaquing is being remanded for further evaluation due to conflicting medical evidence regarding its impact on his lung function.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD and remanded the issue of service connection for a low back disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to missing service treatment records and VA/SSA medical records. The claims include entitlement to service connection for various disabilities, including a low back disability, right leg disability, bilateral foot disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (MDD), respiratory disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of service connection for COPD is granted. The claims for service connection for COPD and hypertension are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions on etiology.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination regarding whether COPD is related to herbicide exposure during service.

The appeal for COPD is dismissed. The case for type II diabetes mellitus, which was reopened due to new evidence, is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for COPD and sleep apnea. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, while his COPD and sleep apnea are not shown to be related to active service.

The Veteran's lung disability (to include bronchiectasis, COPD, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis) is remanded for further development due to the need for a medical opinion regarding its relationship to service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The Veteran’s claims for service connection for a back disability, heart disability, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal disability (claimed as diarrhea), acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as anxiety, depression, and PTSD), respiratory disability (claimed as breathing problems) to include COPD, left upper quadrant curvilinear calcification (claimed as aortic aneurysm), and enlarged prostate have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease warrants a 100 percent rating for the period from September 9, 1996 to September 8, 1997. For the remaining periods, his disability does not warrant an initial rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his COPD, CAD, and dementia were not related to in-service asbestos exposure.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen claims for service connection of various conditions, but the cases are remanded for further development.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for COPD and GERD, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable error in the May 1995 rating decision.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for spinal disease, COPD, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and strokes due to incomplete records. A VA examination is required to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for right foot disability, bilateral hearing loss, lung disability, heart disability, and PVD. The Board found that the current disabilities are not related to service or in-service exposure to jet engine fuel.

The Board dismissed the appeals of service connection claims for heart disorder, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and sepsis. The right knee disability, COPD, and bilateral hearing loss were granted as incurred in active service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee conditions, diabetes mellitus, and COPD due to herbicide exposure in Guam. The Veteran's claims were not supported by the evidence of record.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and COPD, as well as chronic headaches, have been reopened. The evidence now supports the possibility that these conditions may be related to his military service in the Persian Gulf War.

The Veteran's disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, as he is able to perform his daily activities independently.

The Veteran's skin cancer and COPD are granted service connection. The effective dates for IBS, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are denied.,Service connection is granted for sleep apnea and a right knee disability.