COPD decisions — 2020

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lung condition, to include the residuals of a collapsed lung. The Veteran was not found to have any current respiratory disability that is related to her active military service.,The Board also denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for blood clots. There is no evidence in the record showing that she has had a blood clot-related disability during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a pulmonary disability, TBI, and migraines associated with TBI residuals due to insufficient evidence of current symptomatology. The Veteran will need updated treatment records and a more current VA examination.

The Veteran's lung disability (COPD, asbestosis, chronic bronchitis) is granted service connection. The Veteran's sinus disability is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung condition, finding that there is no evidence linking his current conditions to service or herbicide exposure. The Veteran's statements regarding his symptoms are considered credible but not competent medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy, due to in-service exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran served on ships within the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of Vietnam during the Vietnam Era.

The Veteran's asthma, asbestosis, COPD, and sleep apnea are service-connected due to in-service asbestos exposure.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current asthma and any in-service exposure or events.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. The decision also includes remand items for further review and evidence collection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected COPD, and also found that asbestos exposure during service may have contributed to his COPD. The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death.

The reduction of the Veteran's disability rating for right carpal tunnel syndrome was improper, and her 30 percent rating is restored. The appeals for reopening claims related to vision problems, hypertension, COPD, and bilateral shoulder disabilities are granted.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for COPD associated with service-connected spontaneous pneumothorax was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to May 9, 2018 and since then, his combined schedular rating is 40 percent, which does not meet the requirements for TDIU on a schedular basis. The issue of entitlement to TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to May 9, 2018 was remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic kidney disease with essential hypertension and bronchial asthma, COPD, and obstructive sleep apnea, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The case is remanded for further examination and rating considerations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back disorder, neck/cervical spine disorder, respiratory disorder (including bronchitis and COPD), and acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and COPD due to incomplete records and need for medical opinions. The Veteran's active duty was not in a period of war that would qualify him for nonservice-connected disability pension benefits.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and COPD, finding that the earliest date of claim was August 15, 2012 for sleep apnea and November 25, 2014 for COPD.

The Veteran's sensory polyneuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, COPD, and hypertension are being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding their relationship to in-service herbicide exposure. The service connection for PTSD is also being remanded with regard to these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD renders him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD has been reopened, and the case is remanded for further development including a VA examination to determine if his current condition is related to service exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of erectile dysfunction, as it was not adequately addressed in the previous VA examinations and medical opinions. The Veteran will need new medical opinions that discuss the National Institutes of Health study on erectile dysfunction being an initial symptom of lung cancer.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his in-service asbestos exposure and his current COPD diagnosis. The Board concluded that tobacco use was the primary risk factor for COPD.