COPD decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for a lower back disability and remanded the claims for respiratory disorder and GERD. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to its inextricably intertwined nature with other pending appeals for service connection. The appellant's eligibility for CHAMPVA benefits will be reconsidered after these appeals are resolved.

The Veteran's pleural plaques with decreased diffusion capacity are attributable to his in-service asbestos exposure, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The Veteran does not have an interstitial lung disease or COPD that is related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a respiratory disorder (claimed as COPD) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for COPD. The claim is reopened due to new evidence, and the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found to be caused by his service-connected COPD.

The Veteran's death was caused by chronic renal failure and COPD, with hypertension possibly contributing. The Board has determined that the issues of service connection for cause of death and DIC under § 1318 are inextricably intertwined with the pending claims for PTSD, alcoholism, alcohol-induced dementia, and a heart condition.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the cause of the Veteran's death and his lung disability, including whether these conditions are related to service. The examiner will need to consider the full record, including lay statements about symptoms, and provide an opinion on the relationship between any respiratory condition and service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam, and for obtaining deck logs of his assigned vessels.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to a lack of an opinion regarding whether COPD and hepatitis C were aggravated by any service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's COPD is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and a sleep disturbance are remanded due to incomplete service records.,The Veteran's claims for low back disability and associated peripheral neuropathy are remanded due to incomplete service records.,The Veteran's claim for COPD is remanded due to incomplete service records.,The Veteran's claim for exposure to tuberculosis is remanded due to incomplete service records.,Incomplete VA treatment records are needed for all claims.,Outstanding private and federal records need to be obtained for the Veteran’s claims.,A VA examination is required to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, sleep disturbance, low back disability, peripheral neuropathy, COPD, and tuberculosis.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of the initial compensable rating for bronchitis, now diagnosed as COPD, due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his legacy appeal and the subsequent opt-in into the modernized review system.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung disability, finding that his disability did not manifest during or within one year of service and is not otherwise related to service. The appeal was based on presumed exposure to Agent Orange.

The claims of service connection for a respiratory disorder, residuals of renal cancer, and hypertension are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as secondary to PTSD.,Service connection for the respiratory disability (emphysema and COPD) due to service-connected asbestosis is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hip arthritis is denied, with no evidence of onset during or within one year after service.,Sleep apnea is remanded for a determination on whether it is caused by or aggravated by PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of STRs and need for additional medical opinions based on new evidence.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between COPD and military service.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea but has remanded the issue of service connection for COPD due to inadequate examination and lack of supporting rationale.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD and related conditions render him in need of regular aid and attendance, qualifying for special monthly compensation at the aid and attendance rate.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease disability has been dismissed due to his death.