COPD decisions — 2019

The Veteran's cause of death was not due to his active duty service, and therefore, service connection for the cause of death is denied. The Veteran did not have qualifying service for non-service-connected death pension benefits, so entitlement to this benefit is also denied. Accrued benefits are not granted as there were no pending claims at the time of the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's heart disability, including whether it is related to his service-connected PTSD or due to herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for COPD is granted, as the evidence shows that his current condition can be attributed to exposure to herbicide agents and smoke/fumes from burning vegetation in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for COPD, gastro hyperplastic polyposis, and anemia due to herbicide exposure during service in Vietnam. The Veteran will be scheduled for examinations to determine if his conditions are related to this exposure.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for an upper respiratory disorder was denied due to lack of causation by VA, and his claims for SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound were also denied.

The Veteran is seeking reimbursement for unauthorized medical expenses incurred during his private hospitalization at OSU Wexler Medical Center from July 9th-10th of 2013. The VA denied the claim, stating that VA facilities were feasibly available and the Veteran requested transfer to a private facility. The Board finds additional development is required.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of death, finding that there was no credible evidence showing a chronic respiratory or cardiopulmonary condition in service and that the Veteran's fatal heart and/or respiratory conditions were not caused by any of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disability, low back disability, bilateral hip disability, and COPD. The evidence does not establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is being remanded due to new evidence suggesting a possible link between COPD and military service. The VA will obtain relevant medical records and conduct an examination to determine if COPD was related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for alcoholism, dementia, and COPD were denied as there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,Accrued benefits for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance were also denied due to lack of a qualifying disability.

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative joint disease and lumbar degenerative joint disease are denied as there is no evidence of a nexus to service.,The Veteran's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and erectile dysfunction are denied as the conditions did not manifest within one year after service or are not related to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus began in basic training and has been ongoing since then. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Coronary artery disease, Barrett's esophagus, and diabetes mellitus type II are remanded due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or exposure to Camp Lejeune contaminated water.,A hiatal hernia is remanded as the Veteran contends it preexisted service and was aggravated by an assault during basic training. Service connection for asthma or COPD, related to asbestos exposure, is also remanded.,The Veteran's knee disorder is remanded due to his in-service specialty of wireman which may have contributed to the condition. Service connection for a bilateral knee disorder is also remanded.,Service connection for asthma and COPD are remanded as the Veteran contends these conditions began during service or were aggravated by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's service connection claims for COPD, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated as zero percent, and the claim for service connection of bronchiectasis (claimed as COPD) is remanded due to insufficient evidence in the VA examination.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased evaluation of various conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's respiratory disabilities are being remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to his service, specifically his exposure to asbestos and trichloroethylene.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's respiratory condition, including exertional dyspnea, COPD, and asthma, is related to service. Service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of various conditions including left shoulder, right shoulder, left hand, right hand, right hip, left knee, right knee, left ankle, right ankle, and bilateral lower extremities. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection has been reopened, and the Board finds new and material evidence to support his claims. However, further development is needed due to unresolved issues related to exposure in Vietnam and other medical conditions.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to issues with the effective date of his increased PTSD rating, service connection for various conditions, and other disability ratings. The RO will need to correct these errors and provide a statement of the case on the earlier effective date issue.