COPD decisions — 2018

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, PTSD, and anxiety disorder. The claims are remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claims for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and coronary artery disease. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for his claimed conditions as there is no link between them and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to a lack of evidence showing that his COPD, pulmonary nodules, and bouts of pneumonia were related to service or VA care.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's respiratory disability, including COPD and rejection of a transplanted lung, was related to his service in Vietnam. The VA is instructed to obtain any outstanding records and provide an opinion from a VA physician on the etiology of these disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal includes requests for effective dates of May 13, 2008 for special monthly compensation based on housebound status and for a 100 percent evaluation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The Board has determined that these issues are intertwined and requires the issuance of a Statement of the Case.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals in all matters, including service connection for variously diagnosed skin condition, residuals of a right forearm and elbow GSW, systemic arthritis, COPD, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and PTSD.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that none of his causes of death were considered service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases of COPD, sleep apnea, hypertension, congestive heart failure, and diabetes mellitus, type II for further inquiry into the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents while stationed in Korea.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and service connection for PTSD with secondary uncontrolled angina and GERD is granted. Service connection for COPD is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to incomplete records and verification of his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's respiratory disorders, as well as issues related to skin disorders and colon cancer. The jurisdictional issue of an earlier effective date is not addressed.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected as the cause of his death due to lung cancer and COPD. The Board found no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents like Agent Orange during service, nor did they find continuity of symptoms or a direct link between in-service events and the conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension has been dismissed. A compensable rating (30%) is granted for COPD with asthma, but the issue of service connection for gastrointestinal condition with nausea and right shoulder rotator cuff tear remains pending.

The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by a disability related to his military service, including exposure to asbestos. The Board found that the Veteran’s cancers and subsequent conditions were not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD, chronic bronchitis, and obstructive sleep apnea are currently rated at 60 percent. A separate rating for the obstructive sleep apnea is precluded by law.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding no evidence of a chronic condition during service and concluding that the Veteran's current COPD is more likely due to his smoking history.

The Veteran requested to withdraw all issues on appeal, including those related to lung and skin conditions due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemia (claimed as coronary artery disease) and a stomach disability (claimed as an ulcer). The other conditions were also denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a heart disorder, esophageal cancer, diabetes mellitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The remand requires further development of evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Board has found that the service connection for COPD needs to be remanded due to inadequate medical opinions and need for further development regarding exposure to asbestos and lead during service, as well as aggravation of COPD by sleep apnea and causation of COPD due to hypertension.