COPD decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further examination and development.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bronchial asthma and COPD due to lack of competent medical evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for malaria and COPD evaluations, as well as individual unemployability, have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, finding that there is no medical evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for COPD and basal cell skin cancer of the face to include as due to Agent Orange exposure, and service connection for sleep apnea to include as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional examinations and opinions due to lack of recent medical evaluations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by service-connected conditions, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death. The case is being remanded to obtain a medical opinion on whether any service-connected conditions contributed to the Veteran's death.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to the Veteran's exposure to asbestos while serving on board the USS San Pablo AGS.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD due to the lack of a current disability related to a diagnosis of PTSD. The COPD claim is remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding its relation to in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's son, the appellant, requested additional accrued benefits for expenses related to his father's last sickness and burial. However, the Board found that no additional expenses were incurred by the appellant beyond those already reimbursed in October 2016, thus denying the claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's COPD is at least as likely as not related to his military service, and therefore grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's surviving spouse was denied death pension benefits due to her income exceeding the maximum annual pension rates set by law.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for an examination to determine if any of the Veteran's pulmonary conditions are related to his in-service exposure to exhaust fumes or coal smoke. The Veteran needs to provide authorization for VA to obtain private medical records, and he should be scheduled for a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Skin Disorder of the Feet due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected lung disability, which includes asthma and COPD, is being remanded due to the need for updated medical records and a new VA examination.

The Board has denied service connection for COPD and remanded the issue of an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of pleural plaques, COPD, and SMC based on aid and attendance.

The Board denied service connection for COPD as there is no evidence linking the condition to service, and the Veteran's smoking habit was not related to military use of tobacco products.

The Board denied service connection for thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease and COPD, finding that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for these conditions based on his service records and medical history. The effective date of service connection for thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease was set at December 3, 2009.