COPD decisions — 2019

The Board has denied service connection for COPD and remanded the hypertension claim due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee condition, COPD, and a right hip condition as secondary to his service-connected fracture of the left femur. The appeals are pending further review.

The Board has remanded four issues for further development: restoration of a 100 percent rating for service-connected bronchial asthma, entitlement to TDIU based on bronchial asthma, service connection for COPD secondary to bronchial asthma, and service connection for a bilateral foot skin disability. The claims are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and treatment records.

The Board has ordered a remand for further development due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's respiratory disorder, including whether it is related to service and exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance or by reason of being housebound is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his service-connected COPD.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal before the Board could make a decision, so the case is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate development and examination in previous decisions. The Veteran is being asked to provide additional evidence or undergo further examinations.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for vocal mucosa and allergic dermatitis have been dismissed. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for COPD and angina/coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's COPD and PTSD ratings have been restored, and he is now eligible for special monthly compensation. The scar from his lung cancer treatment remains noncompensable.

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding glaucoma, jaw issues, hypertension, liver cancer, ischemic heart disease, erectile dysfunction, COPD, and skin condition due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD has been reopened and granted, with a 50% rating effective as of an earlier date. Other claims remain pending.

The appeal seeking to reopen a claim of service connection for headaches and dizziness with blackouts is denied.,The appeals seeking to reopen claims of service connection for bronchitis and COPD are granted. The de novo review of these claims is remanded.,The appeal seeking to reopen a claim of service connection for chronic sinusitis is remanded.,The appeal seeking to reopen a claim of service connection for allergic rhinitis is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an examination assessing whether any respiratory disorder is related to inservice asbestos exposure. The Veteran's service connection claim for a respiratory disorder, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pleurisy, will be reconsidered after obtaining an appropriate medical opinion.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left wrist disability, and respiratory disability (claimed as COPD) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and the Veteran's military service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining updated treatment records. The focus is on determining whether in-service asbestos exposure caused or contributed to the Veteran's current respiratory disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction but has remanded the issue of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for prostate cancer, skin disability, and respiratory disability (COPD) due to herbicide agent exposure during active service. The Veteran's military records indicate he was stationed at Fort Gordon where herbicide agent testing occurred from December 1966 to October 1967.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the etiology of the Veteran's lung disorder other than his service-connected Castleman’s disease, including any potential relationship to in-service exposures and herbicide exposure.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for service connection of a left knee disability, which was granted in June 2013. The Board denied this request.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, with the presumption that it is related to active military service.,Service connection is remanded for COPD, as there is insufficient evidence regarding its relationship to service or herbicide exposure.