COPD decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to incomplete medical opinions and inextricably intertwined issues.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD and emphysema, as well as the cause of death due to these conditions. The Veteran's exposure during service is not considered a factor in this decision.

The Board has denied service connection for COPD and basilar scarring of the lungs, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and military service.

The Board denied service connection for a pulmonary disorder, including as a result of asbestos and beryllium exposure.,The Board also denied service connection for hypoxic and hypercapnic respiratory failure, including as a result of asbestos and beryllium exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cause of death and burial benefits due to incomplete medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's COPD was caused by in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have service connection for gout, COPD, sleep apnea, or glaucoma. The case is remanded to provide VA examinations and obtain a medical opinion.

The Veteran's hypertension and respiratory disorders (COPD and bronchial asthma) are remanded for further examination as the Board finds a duty to assist error in not obtaining VA examinations regarding these conditions. The Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service, but the availability of presumptive service connection does not preclude direct service connection.

The Board has denied service connection for emphysema, COPD, and hypertension as they are not related to the Veteran's active service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum opinion to address the etiology of the Veteran's respiratory disability, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sarcoidosis of the lung, small airway disease, restrictive lung disease, and chronic cough. The examiner must consider the Veteran's exposure to asbestos, hazardous fumes and chemicals due to his military occupational specialty (MOS) as a deck seaman.

The Board has granted service connection for back disability, but dismissed all other claims due to the Veteran's withdrawal of appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, requiring VA examinations to address the etiology of the Veteran's hip and knee disorders.

The Veteran's service connection claim for GERD is granted, and the Board finds that his GERD symptoms had its onset in service. The COPD issue is remanded due to insufficient examination regarding occupational impairment.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for Parkinson's disease and a lung disability due to withdrawal by the appellant. The cause of death is granted, with malignant mesothelioma being considered at least as likely as not caused by in-service asbestos exposure.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and chronic bronchitis, finding that the Veteran's conditions are not related to his service-connected disabilities.,Service connection was also remanded for a bilateral eye condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his pulmonary disorder, hip/thigh disability, foot disability, and cervical spine disability.,Additional treatment records will be obtained and reviewed by a VA examiner to determine if the Veteran has any of these conditions that were incurred in or related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically failing to address whether the Veteran's COPD is aggravated by his service-connected ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits were granted effective February 12, 2018. The Board has determined that an earlier effective date of November 2, 2012 is warranted for both awards.

The Veteran's service-connected respiratory disabilities, including emphysema and COPD, were initially rated at 30 percent from April 15, 2016. After a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis in August 2021, the rating was increased to 30 percent effective August 9, 2021.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's COPD is at least as likely as not related to his in-service exposure to asbestos, and service connection for COPD is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition including COPD, bronchitis and asthma due to exposure to asbestos in service. The Board found that there was no confirmed exposure to asbestos and concluded that the diagnosed respiratory conditions were more consistent with his extensive smoking history than asbestos exposure.