COPD decisions — 2020

The Veteran's death was caused by multiple conditions, including acute myocardial infarction. The Board found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service and presumed his acute myocardial infarction was caused by this exposure, leading to a grant of service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to issues related to herbicide agent exposure. The Veteran's respiratory disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and neurocognitive disorder (dementia) are all being reviewed in light of potential secondary service connection.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease that could be linked to these conditions.,For the remaining issues, the Board has remanded them due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current diagnoses and his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for emphysema and COPD (claimed as a respiratory condition) has been denied due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to his military service.,Service connection for a headache disability is also denied, with no evidence showing that headaches were incurred during or related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death and potential exposure to Agent Orange. The VA will gather additional medical records and verify the Veteran's service aboard USS Biddle.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD is denied as the evidence does not support a link between his current condition and in-service asbestos exposure.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there was no increase in severity during service. The Veteran had pre-existing hearing loss at entry into service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for DM II (diabetes mellitus type 2) due to herbicide agent exposure is remanded as VA needs to verify his reported exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection were denied due to the failure to file a timely Substantive Appeal within the required time frame.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether COPD, a chronic respiratory disorder other than OSA and asthma, is related to service, specifically exposure to burn pits in Afghanistan. The Veteran's claim for service connection on this basis is reopened.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss but has remanded the issue of respiratory disorder due to lack of sufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, bronchiectasis (also claimed as bronchitis), and asthma have been remanded due to the need for a VA examination. The claims are currently pending with the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's COPD and asbestosis were granted a disability evaluation of 30 percent from October 30, 2007, to October 7, 2008.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD and Asthma, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or aggravation. The pre-existing respiratory disabilities were determined to have been aggravated by civilian work in a forest, not military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service, and therefore service connection for the cause of his death is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for peripheral neuropathy, COPD, anemia, and hypertension have been granted. The claim for back disability is remanded.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an addendum opinion from the VA examiner regarding the Veteran's respiratory conditions, including asthma and COPD. The examiner must consider all diagnoses since April 2013 and determine if they are related to service exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding whether the Veteran served in the Republic of Vietnam, which could affect his claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board has decided that the July 2019 examination is inadequate and requires an addendum opinion to determine if COPD was aggravated by service-connected pleural plaques.

The Veteran's respiratory disorder and sleep apnea are being remanded for separate evaluation, as the two conditions affect different areas of the body. Additionally, TDIU is also being remanded due to its inextricability with the rating reduction issue.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his cause of death.