COPD decisions — 2021

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper extremities, COPD, hypertension, and venous insufficiency.

The Board denied service connection for heart disability, prostate cancer, and COPD. The right knee degenerative arthritis claim was granted with a separate rating for left knee strain.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's COPD was aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. The VA needs to obtain a new opinion from an appropriate clinician to determine if the Veteran's COPD is proximately due to or underwent any incremental increase in disability due to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected CAD, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced on whether the COPD was caused by or aggravated by the CAD.

The Veteran's asthma with COPD is currently rated at 60 percent, but the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as his FEV-1 and FEV-1/FVC are within normal ranges.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease is found to have contributed substantially or materially to his death from COPD.,For DIC benefits, the criteria are not met as the Veteran did not meet the total disability rating requirement for a period of at least 10 years prior to his death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of various disabilities.,New and material evidence has been submitted, allowing the reopening of claims for bilateral hearing loss and stomach disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung disorder, including COPD, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and military service or any service-connected disability. The Board also found that smoking history was not linked to PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records. The issues include a claim for a compensable rating for residuals of left proximal fibula fracture, service connection for a left leg disability as secondary to residuals of left proximal fibula fracture, service connection for a respiratory disability (COPD or emphysema), and service connection for diabetes.

The Veteran's death is not caused by VA care, and his service-connected conditions did not contribute to his death. The Board finds no negligence or fault on the part of VA in providing the May 10, 2016 surgical procedure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's exposure to herbicides led to his COPD, which was a contributing factor to his death.

The Board denied service connection for asthma and COPD, finding that the evidence does not support a link to service or exposure to hazardous chemicals. Service connection was also denied for allergic rhinitis.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of death, finding that neither end stage dementia nor chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and basilar scarring of the lungs due to potential exposure to diesel fumes in his living quarters during service, as well as multiple chest X-rays taken within a short period.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's appeal was not timely filed due to health issues in late 2016, and thus remanded for further examination of whether extraordinary circumstances existed.

The Veteran's cause of death was determined to be sepsis related to his service-connected left tibia-fibula and ankle, which contributed substantially to his death. The claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives and a need for additional examination. The Veteran's lung disability is being reviewed again, including his service as an arc welder and in-service exposure to hazardous smoke.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new medical opinion is needed regarding the Veteran's cause of death.

The Board denied service connection for a skin disability and a respiratory disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link to service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for COPD and an initial compensable rating for pleural plaques are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion on the etiology of his COPD.