COPD decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's applications to reopen claims for service connection for various conditions, including back disability, neck disability, PTSD, COPD, sleep apnea, and diabetes mellitus. The evidence did not show a relationship between these conditions and military service.

The Veteran's COPD is granted as secondary to herbicide exposure. Service connection for chronic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis are remanded.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for low back disability, COPD, hypertension, and bilateral hearing loss due to potential new information regarding herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The Veteran's claims are not yet decided.

The Board has remanded the case due to deficiencies in the previous decision regarding exposure to ionizing radiation and the determination of whether the Veteran's lung disorders are related to such exposure. The case will be referred for further processing under VA regulations.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disorder, finding that the Veteran's COPD and emphysema are related to tobacco use during his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and obstructive sleep apnea due to inadequate VA examinations, exposure to burn pits during active duty, and obesity as a potential factor in his respiratory and sleep disorders.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's respiratory disability and service-connected pleural calcifications, as well as the potential impact of asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's CAD status post CABG is rated at 100 percent, effective May 13, 2020.,The Veteran's COPD is rated at 60 percent, effective July 20, 2018.

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and COPD are all granted. The Veteran is also granted service connection for PTSD with depression and anxiety.

The Board denied service connection for a chronic lung disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's current COPD and his military service.

The appeal to reopen a claim for service connection for traumatic brain injury based on the receipt of new and material evidence is granted. The claims for service connection for other conditions are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to his service-connected PTSD, which contributed substantially or materially to his death. The claims for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and § 1318 are dismissed as moot.

The Board has granted service connection for asthma, but has remanded the issue of service connection for COPD due to a lack of medical opinion regarding its relationship to asthma.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD is granted, and his rating for IBS is increased to 10 percent. The Veteran was also granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition, including COPD, has been granted. The Board found that the evidence supports a finding of service connection due to exposure to noxious agents during service.

The Board has granted the reopening of claims for service connection for urethritis/prostatitis, but denied service connection for sinusitis and lung or respiratory disability (to include COPD).

The Veteran's lung nodules, asthma, COPD, and recurrent bronchitis have been rated based on their severity. The Board denied ratings in excess of the current assigned ratings for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected COPD is remanded due to incomplete VA examination results and the need for an updated medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for a respiratory disorder, and other issues remain unresolved.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection. The Veteran's COPD, presumed to be related to exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange), remains under review.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is established based on current disability and in-service noise exposure.