COPD decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for Asthma, COPD (as secondary to asthma), and Sleep Apnea as the Veteran's preexisting asthma did not worsen during his two-month active duty service. The Board found that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence of aggravation.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's back disorder may be related to his flat feet, but a VA opinion is needed to determine if this relationship is secondary to service. His bilateral flat feet are also under review with a need for a VA examination. For his lung condition, the Board requested additional information on asbestos exposure in service and needs further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including arthritis of the bilateral knees and feet, a skin disorder likely due to herbicide exposure, sinusitis, bronchitis, and COPD. The Veteran's pre-existing knee and foot injuries are presumed to have existed prior to service.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability due to asbestos exposure and denied an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's COPD was found not related to his service, including asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, diagnosed as other specified trauma disorder, is granted service connection. Service connection for hyperlipidemia is denied. The heart disability, ischemic heart disease and bradycardia, status post myocardial infarction and pacemaker implantation, is granted service connection. Type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension are both granted service connection. Service connection for a respiratory/lung disability and bilateral cataracts remains pending.

The appeals for service connection were dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development. The issues of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen his diabetes mellitus, asthma, sleep apnea, COPD, emphysema, PTSD with major depressive disorder and panic disorder with agoraphobia, coccidioidomycosis, back degenerative disc disease, and angular glaucoma claims are all REMANDED.

The Board denied service connection for COPD and OSA, finding that the Veteran's current respiratory disorders are not related to his military service.,The Board also denied compensation benefits pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for renal failure due to a lack of VA care during gallbladder surgery.

The Veteran's COPD has been rated at 100 percent effective March 13, 2017. The Board is remanding the case to obtain VA treatment records and any private medical records from Baptist Hospital that may contain information pertinent to this claim.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death and burial benefits due to insufficient efforts in obtaining information regarding the Veteran's exposure to poisonous gases during service. The appellant must provide additional evidence, and VA will attempt to obtain any relevant records from federal agencies.

The Veteran's lung disability is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed lung disability.

The Veteran's death was caused by end stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which the VA has determined was aggravated by his service-connected gastritis. The Board is remanding the case for further development regarding the service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and mood disorder, as secondary to service-connected gastritis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bronchitis, COPD, and obstructive sleep apnea due to a lack of VA examinations. The Veteran is not considered to have previously submitted these claims as he did not claim them in his initial application.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that COPD, diabetes mellitus, type II, and congestive heart failure were not related to his military service or service-connected skin cancer.

The Board denied service connection for COPD and the skin condition (claimed as a sun allergy) because there is no evidence showing that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death, finding that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a link between peptic ulcer disease and the Veteran's death. The claim was also denied for service connection for peptic ulcer disease due to lack of competent medical evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability is being remanded due to new evidence suggesting the condition may be related to his deployment in the Persian Gulf. The Board will consider whether exposure to environmental hazards during service contributed to his current respiratory issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for respiratory disorders other than bronchoalveolar cancer, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between her current diagnoses and her in-service exposure to contaminants at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Smith Northview Hospital from January 22, 2011 through January 24, 2011 are granted as the care was deemed necessary due to an emergency condition and no VA facility was feasibly available.

The Board denied service connection for OSA and COPD/emphysema, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to her military service or a service-connected condition.,Service connection was also denied for stomach ulcers and hiatal hernia.