COPD decisions — 2020

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 40 percent prior to September 11, 2020. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,Service connection for COPD has been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that the condition began during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's COPD is rated at 60 percent since December 19, 2013. The Board has not complied with the remand directives and needs to conduct a new examination by a pulmonologist to assess the severity of his COPD prior to December 19, 2019.

The Board has remanded the claim for a VA medical opinion to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran's respiratory disabilities, specifically COPD, benign pulmonary nodules, and asthma. The examiner must reconcile these diagnoses with previous records and provide an opinion on whether any diagnosed respiratory disability is related to service or caused by service-connected CAD.

The claims of service connection for right and left shoulder disorders, COPD, GERD, and jaw disorder have been reopened and granted.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD alone does not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that TDIU is denied.

The Board denied service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on being permanently housebound due to a single disability rated at 100 percent and additional disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and needs to obtain an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's COPD is related to his service, including as a result of exposure to sand dust during his deployment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his lumbar spine and sleep apnea conditions, are found to be causally related to his psychiatric disorder. Effective dates for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy have been granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for COPD and peripheral vascular disease due to insufficient development. The skin disability claim is denied as there is no current evidence of a skin condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung disability, including COPD and bronchiectasis, finding that there is insufficient evidence to attribute these conditions to military service.

The Veteran's asthma is not service-connected, but COPD is.,COPD has been granted as service-connected.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema due to in-service asbestos and carbon toxin exposure. The decision is based on a positive nexus opinion linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for depression due to new and material evidence. The claims of service connection for left shoulder injury, an acquired psychiatric disorder, right leg, torn ACL, COPD, and asthma are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a lung disability (characterized by the RO as thoracotomy, status post left pneumothorax) for accrued benefits purposes due to lack of evidence linking the condition to military service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current conditions to his military service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, finding that there is no nexus between his COPD with pulmonary fibrosis and his military service. The issue of secondary service connection for erectile dysfunction due to PTSD remains pending and requires further examination.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, an eye disability, and COPD are remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine their etiology.

The Board has granted an effective date of June 10, 2013 for aid and attendance special monthly compensation due to the Veteran's service-connected COPD. The decision finds that the Veteran needed regular care/assistance on a daily basis due to his severe COPD.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD was granted a disability rating of 60 percent for the period prior to May 12, 2015.