COPD decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a respiratory disorder secondary to asbestos exposure due to inadequate examinations and opinions. The case will be returned for further evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to August 12, 2010, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for clarification of the etiology of the Veteran's COPD and other respiratory conditions. The Veteran was exposed to jet fuel and hazardous substances in service, which may have contributed to his current condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including COPD, GERD, and tinnitus, have prevented him from securing and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU rating based on these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the left and right big toes, finding that there was no evidence of chronic in-service disability or continuity of symptomatology.,The Board also denied service connection for COPD, concluding that it did not begin during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of COPD is not related to his active duty service or presumed exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of his respiratory disorders and Parkinson’s disease, as well as a lack of VA examination records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and asthma are denied.,Since new and material evidence has been submitted, the Veteran's claim to reopen his previously denied claim of service connection for a nervous condition is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and COPD have been denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,Service connection was not granted for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, or COPD. The Board found that the current disabilities were not incurred in or related to his active duty.

The Veteran's pleural plaques with COPD and chronic pleural effusion are rated at 30 percent from April 9, 2018. Special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance is granted. The issue of special monthly compensation based on housebound status prior to December 14, 2018, is moot due to the award of aid and attendance.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis, bronchitis, and COPD. The conditions are found to be at least as likely as not related to active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for emphysema, COPD, and hypertension as these conditions are related to the Veteran's smoking history rather than any in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, COPD, and low back strain due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The VA examinations are needed to address the Veteran's contentions of secondary service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and lung cancer were denied, with the effective date set at June 14, 2018.,An initial rating higher than 100 percent for his service-connected lung disorder was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings, service connection, and other issues are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for hepatitis C, loss of balance, chest numbness, right and left upper extremity disability, sleep apnea, COPD, sinusitis, ventral hernia, and a higher rating for the chest surgical scar.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma, asbestosis, COPD, OSA, and liver cancer due to asbestos exposure have been denied. The Board has also remanded the cases for additional development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability, including COPD, finding that there was no evidence linking his current diagnosis to military service or exposure to asbestos and lead paint. The VA examiners concluded that the COPD is less likely related to in-service exposures.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as it is aggravated by his service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other conditions.