COPD decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for a pulmonary disability is dismissed as his appeal was not timely filed and he did not submit new and material evidence within one year.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for lymphoma has been dismissed. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for respiratory condition (including COPD and lung scarring) due to chemical, dust, and asbestos exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to asbestos in service and its relation to his COPD. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for COPD, Heart Disorder, and Hypertension due to in-service herbicide exposure. Additional evidence is needed, including VA medical examinations and opinions on the relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination. The issues include hearing loss, sinusitis, rhinitis, COPD, headaches, sleep apnea, arthritis conditions, eye disabilities, circulatory problems, neuropathy, radiculopathy, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, hip disabilities, psychiatric disorders, lumbar spine disability, knee disabilities, and other unspecified conditions.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his military service to his respiratory conditions or his death.

The Veteran withdrew his claim for service connection for COPD.

The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by a service-connected disability, as his conditions were not related to his military service.

The Veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, but the cause of death (COPD) is not service-connected. The Board has ordered a remand for further evaluation regarding the relationship between COPD and service.

The Veteran's service-connected bronchial asthma with COPD is found to have caused his mood disorder, and the claim for secondary service connection for a mood disorder is granted.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the claims for COPD and heart disability.,No specific rating or effective date was assigned in this decision.

The Board has remanded the case for further action due to issues related to entitlement to separate disability ratings and a higher rating for sleep apnea, chronic bronchitis, asthma, COPD, and allergic bronchospasms.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of seizures. Service connection is granted for COPD including emphysema, and the case is remanded for further evaluation on issues related to tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the reopening of the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to lack of new and material evidence, including a brain tumor, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses and ambulance services incurred during a non-VA hospitalization at St. Joseph Mount Sterling on June 14, 2014 are granted as the claim was filed within 90 days of discharge from the private facility.

This decision denies service connection for PTSD and COPD. The Board has expanded the claims to include bilateral ankle, feet, and hand conditions. Service connection is denied for these additional issues as well.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for OSA is remanded due to a lack of an initial VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluation of his disabilities due to incomplete medical opinions, lack of VA examination findings during flare-ups, and need for additional private treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for pulmonary fibrosis and denied service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart disease. The decision is based on the evidence showing that pulmonary fibrosis may be related to in-service asbestos exposure, while COPD and heart disease are not shown to have been incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board's decision on service connection for COPD with emphysema is vacated due to the Veteran's death, and the appeal is dismissed as moot.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's respiratory disabilities, including asthma, restrictive airway disease, and COPD. The VA examiner did not address the Veteran’s contentions of hazardous chemical exposure during service.