COPD decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a compensable rating for pleural plaques due to additional development being necessary.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting findings in a previous VA examination, and further evaluation is required.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and a rating increase due to conflicting evidence regarding his respiratory conditions, including emphysema and COPD. The claims are inextricably intertwined with the Veteran's claim of secondary service connection.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal, and thus has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this case.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition, including asthma and COPD, as due to exposure to herbicides. The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran’s conditions were caused or aggravated by his military service.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's lung disorder, including asthmatic bronchitis, restrictive airway disease, right upper lobe nodule, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease secondary to tobacco use and non-small-cell carcinoma of the right upper lobe, finding that there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for unspecified respiratory problems, finding that the evidence does not show a current disability existed during or within one year after service and is less likely caused by military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability, including COPD and chronic bronchitis, as secondary to his service-connected hepatitis C. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current respiratory disability to service or service-connected hepatitis C.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD, finding that the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam is at least as likely as not a contributing factor to his development of COPD.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for COPD and lung cancer due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's death prevented a thorough review of his respiratory conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability, including as due to herbicide agent exposure, because the Veteran did not meet the criteria for presumptive or direct service connection. The evidence did not show that he served in Vietnam and was exposed to herbicides, nor could it link his current respiratory disabilities to service.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease, status post CABG, is rated at 60 percent from May 30, 2011 to July 24, 2014 and at a maximum of 100 percent thereafter.,Service connection for COPD was denied as the evidence does not support a finding that it began during service or is related to an in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the cases for obtaining VA treatment records from VAMC Dallas from January 1, 1975 to May 29, 1995. The Veteran's service connection claims for a heart condition and COPD are still pending.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship between the Veteran's in-service exposure and his current diagnosis of COPD.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD is found to preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, granting TDIU with the condition that it be reviewed by the RO for an effective date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded. The Veteran's claim for COPD is also being remanded.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent from June 1, 2016 for prostate cancer remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his COPD was caused by exposure to herbicide agents in service. The decision is based on the link between his COPD and his presumed exposure to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and need for a VA examination with a pulmonologist.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. Service connection for asbestosis and asthma are denied, but the claim of reopening the asthma claim is granted. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and COPD are remanded.