COPD decisions — 2021

The Board has partially vacated its decision and remanded the case due to failure to obtain a contemporaneous examination and updated treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for throat polyps is denied as there was no current disability related to the condition during the appeal period.,Service connection for COPD, to include as due to asbestos exposure, and bladder cancer are remanded. A new opinion is needed regarding whether these conditions were caused by service or other factors.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition is also remanded. The examiner should address the Veteran’s in-service exposures and his history of smoking tobacco.,Service connection for throat polyps, COPD, bladder cancer, and a heart condition are denied.

The Board denied service connection for COPD due to asbestos exposure, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of COPD is not related to his in-service exposure to asbestos.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical explanation regarding the Veteran's pulmonary disability and its relation to asbestos exposure. The case will be reviewed by a pulmonologist for further clarification.

The appeal of the claim seeking service connection for bilateral eye disorder, asthma, COPD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus has been dismissed.,The appeals of the claims seeking service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, OSA, and diabetes mellitus have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to the need for additional medical evidence and examinations. The Veteran's COPD and asthma service connection appeals are being addressed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's respiratory disorder, including asthma and COPD, is related to his service in Vietnam, where he was presumed exposed to herbicide agents. The claims for these conditions are granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and to obtain a VA opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed chronic respiratory disorder, including emphysema and COPD. The decision on service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, emphysema, and a skin disability due to herbicide exposure are remanded. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as the current level of hearing impairment does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory condition, including COPD, OSA, and OHS, finding that there was no evidence to support his claim of in-service asbestos or herbicide agent exposure. The Board also found that the Veteran's current respiratory conditions were not related to his age-related decline and history of smoking.

The Veteran's COPD and Prostate Cancer have been found to be related to service, but the Board has not yet determined whether these conditions meet the criteria for a TDIU based on their combined effects. The appeal is being remanded to allow for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new evidence suggesting possible exposure to herbicides during service, which could potentially establish presumptive service connection. The Veteran's service in the USS Platte is under review to determine if he was within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lung disability, including COPD and interstitial lung disease, is related to his active duty service due to exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The Board found the evidence at least in equipoise regarding this connection.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, characterized as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema, finding that his current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his active service.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertensive heart disease is rated at 60 percent from November 24, 2017. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a right shoulder rotator cuff tear and gastrointestinal condition with nausea.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for the cause of death and burial benefits due to incomplete VA treatment records from June 2012. The appellant must be notified about these records, and new medical opinions are needed regarding the Veteran's COPD and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a lung condition and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to insufficient medical opinions regarding potential asbestos exposure and Simvastatin use.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to address outstanding medical records. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and lung disability are being reviewed again with new evidence consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a respiratory condition, including COPD, and a hiatal hernia. The TDIU and SMC claims are also remanded due to their inextricability with these issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of COPD, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between his in-service exposure and current condition.