COPD decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding no nexus between the condition and in-service exposure to asbestos or herbicide agents (Agent Orange). The Veteran's COPD was attributed to a general assertion without supporting evidence.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including upper and lower back disability, neck disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, bilateral eye disability, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Barrett's esophagus, coronary artery disease, aortic aneurysm, prostate cancer, and thyroid disability. The Board found no current diagnoses for these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected due to aggravation by military noise exposure. Total disability due to individual unemployability is granted based on his service-connected disabilities. The rating for COPD remains at 30 percent, but the case is remanded for a new examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the appeal is granted only in part as some issues are remanded.,Service connection has been restored for lumbar strain and PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his COPD/emphysema with asthma and sleep apnea are remanded due to the need for additional medical examination, updated treatment records, and consideration of whether sarcoidosis is related to service-connected disability or clinically indistinguishable from symptoms related to his service-connected disability.

The Board denied a compensable disability rating for asbestosis, finding that the respiratory impairment is due to COPD and not asbestosis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD secondary to inactive tuberculosis and a compensable rating for inactive tuberculosis, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's claims, particularly regarding his service-connected conditions and exposure to Agent Orange. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including COPD, neck disability, and back disability, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has remanded the case for referral to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board is remanding both issues related to service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to procedural errors and unresolved claims. The timeliness of the March 11, 2010 Notice of Disagreement for COPD/lung condition must be resolved before any further action can be taken on the cause of death claim.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death due to lack of evidence linking the Veteran's end stage renal disease and COPD to his military service or his service-connected conditions. The July 2018 VA opinion concluded that PCT did not cause or aggravate the Veteran's end stage renal disease.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's COPD is related to his 2007 deployment in Iraq.

The Veteran's service connection claims for Parkinson’s disease, lung disability (asbestosis and COPD), and coronary artery disease are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board found that the October 2010 rating decision, which granted service connection for COPD, was clearly and unmistakably erroneous due to inaccurate medical evidence. As a result, the VA severed the award of service connection for COPD effective April 1, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100% disability rating for service-connected emphysema, COPD, and pulmonary fibrosis is denied as the earliest possible effective date is June 30, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and his active service.,The Veteran's PTSD; unspecified depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for asthma, pulmonary nodules, and COPD. The Veteran's lung conditions are related to his military service.

The Board's decision to remand several issues has been vacated due to the Veteran's participation in VA’s RAMP program, which removed jurisdiction from the Board.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection of feet problems was granted. The Board found that the evidence submitted since the April 2012 rating decision is new and material, thus allowing him to proceed with reopening the claim. However, both issues - bilateral foot disability and COPD - were remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, but has remanded his claim for COPD due to insufficient evidence.