COPD decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his failure to report for VA examinations. The case is now back with the AOJ for further development and consideration.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, finding no competent evidence linking his current disability to his active service or herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for COPD and OSA due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's atrial fibrillation is secondary to his diabetes mellitus and PTSD, and alcoholism is also secondary to PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for COPD as there was no probative medical evidence indicating the Veteran's current condition was incurred in service, and the claimant is not competent to provide a nexus between his COPD and service.

The Board has granted service connection for asthma and COPD, secondary to asthma. The issues of an initial compensable rating prior to June 13, 2017 for bilateral hearing loss; and to an increased disability rating in excess of 40 percent from June 13, 2017 for bilateral hearing loss are also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma, bronchitis, a back disability, COPD, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and COPD, finding no evidence to support these claims. The decision also denied a claim for TDIU as the Veteran was not service connected for any disability.

The Veteran's respiratory condition, including asbestosis and COPD, is remanded for further examination to determine its etiology. The SMC and TDIU claims are also remanded due to their inextricably intertwined nature with the service connection claim.

The Board has ordered a post-mortem medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's COPD began during or was otherwise caused by his military service, specifically addressing whether exposure to jet fumes caused the condition.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal due to his death, and no service connection was granted or denied.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's COPD with fibrosing interstitial pneumonitis is at least as likely as not caused by his exposure to asbestos during service, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for COPD and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's death was caused by arteriosclerotic heart disease with congestive heart failure, pneumonia of the right lung, diabetes mellitus, and COPD. The Board found that his service-connected psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria did not contribute to his cause of death, and that his other conditions were not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to consider the Veteran's death due to pneumonia, as there are conflicting medical opinions and new evidence needs to be considered.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking his lung disorders (chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosis, and COPD) to his active duty service or a service-connected disability. The Board found that the Veteran did not have continuous exposure to Agent Orange during service, and there is no evidence showing that his lung disorders manifested in service. Additionally, the medical opinions provided by VA examiners were more convincing than the appellant's statements regarding the effect of chemotherapy on his lungs.

The Board has denied service connection for anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, COPD, and ischemic heart disease as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during or are otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of records and need for additional medical opinions regarding service connection for COPD.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, specifically whether it is related to his active duty service and exposure to asbestos.