COPD decisions — 2022

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD should be remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his condition.

The Veteran's service connection claim for COPD is granted as his symptoms are indistinguishable from those of his service-connected pulmonary fibrosis with asbestosis.,An initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with dementia prior to March 18, 2022, is denied due to the Veteran's symptoms not meeting the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and a need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's respiratory disability, including COPD, which is claimed as related to asbestos exposure during service and exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board granted service connection for COPD, but the issue of a higher rating is dismissed as the benefit sought on appeal (service connection) is already in effect.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including hypertension, knee conditions, hearing loss, mental health disorders, COPD and/or asthma, and sleep apnea. The remand requires obtaining additional medical records, verifying stressors, confirming exposure to asbestos, scheduling examinations for each condition, and determining the etiology of any diagnosed respiratory disorder and sleep disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic bronchitis or residuals of bronchitis and COPD, finding no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, mental health condition, right ankle disability, left knee disability, headaches, and sleep apnea is denied. Service connection is granted for hypertension due to herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions are being remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The Board finds that further etiology opinions are needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's increased stipend in the PCAFC is granted because he requires personal care services each time he completes at least three of the ADLs listed, and is fully dependent on a caregiver to complete such ADLs.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives regarding service connection for a respiratory disability. The Veteran's reports on the onset of symptoms are deemed credible, and an addendum opinion is needed from an appropriate clinician.

The Veteran's COPD is granted as service-connected due to presumed exposure to burn pits during his Gulf War service, effective August 10, 2022.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability, diabetes mellitus type II, and CAD have been granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide agent exposure.,Service connection has also been granted for peripheral neuropathy and erectile dysfunction. The respiratory disability claim remains pending.

The Veteran's COPD and emphysema are not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to his military service, including herbicide exposure. His asthma is also not service-connected as there was no showing that it worsened during service.

The Veteran's COPD and bilateral CTS are not service-connected. The right shoulder disability is rated at the maximum available evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for COPD, OSA, lumbosacral spine disability, and tinnitus have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran is already in receipt of the earliest effective dates allowable under VA regulations.

The Veteran's COPD and interstitial lung disease, pleural plaques, are granted an increased rating of 60 percent effective November 7, 2016.

The Veteran's cause of death, cardiac arrest and COPD, is determined to be related to his exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Board finds that the evidence reasonably supports the establishment of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for COPD, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy due to exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection is denied as there is not an approximate balance of evidence to support the claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, testicular hypofunction, cervical degenerative disc disease, right upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, bronchitis, emphysema, COPD, esophageal disability, and thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease due to conflicting medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pulmonary disability, including interstitial lung disease, COPD, and asbestosis, had its onset in or is otherwise related to military service. As a result, the appeal for service connection is granted.