COPD decisions — 2022

The Board has denied service connection for tension headaches due to a lack of evidence showing the condition began during service or is related to an in-service injury.,Service connection for stomach disability, to include GERD and duodenal ulcer, thyroid disability, essential tremors, COPD, skin disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded as additional development is needed.

The Veteran withdrew his claim for an earlier effective date of September 22, 2005 for a 60 percent rating for asthma, COPD, pulmonary emphysema and bronchitis. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for COPD and heart conditions secondary to bronchitis due to inadequate medical opinions and missing records. The Veteran will need to provide additional evidence, including private healthcare records from Riverbend, and a VA examination is needed to address her symptoms and the continuity of her respiratory issues since service.

The Veteran's cause of death is granted as his small cell lung cancer, presumed to be related to herbicide agent exposure during service, was an underlying cause of his death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sarcoidosis of the lungs and skin is denied as there is no evidence of a chronic disease in service or within the presumptive period, and continuity of symptomatology has not been established.,Service connection for COPD with emphysema is also denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current disability related to service, and his symptoms began many years after separation from active duty.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for colorectal cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), finding that there is at least equipoise evidence to support a causal relationship with his military service. The COPD claim was remanded due to conflicting medical opinions.

The Veteran's PTSD rating was increased to 70 percent, and his claims for service connection for hypertension, OSA, COPD, right ear hearing loss, a skin condition (including skin cancer and actinic keratosis), and GERD were granted.

The Board has found a lack of compliance with prior remand directives and the Veteran's COPD claim is being remanded again for additional development.

This decision is remanded for several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions. The Veteran's coronary artery disease, COPD, and erectile dysfunction are all being reviewed for increased ratings or service connection. Additionally, his entitlement to SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ and TDIU prior to October 26, 2017, is also remanded.,An examination is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's COPD, considering both military service exposure and post-service occupational exposures. The cause of his erectile dysfunction must be considered in light of his current medications.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a chronic respiratory disorder and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, as the VA medical opinions were deemed inadequate.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and lower extremity disorder were not shown to be related to service, while GERD and COPD/bronchitis were diagnosed during his lifetime.,Service connection for the claimed conditions is being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board denied service connection for COPD due to exposure to herbicide agents and the cause of death (COPD) as there was no evidence supporting a causal relationship between Agent Orange exposure and COPD, and the Veteran's smoking history is considered a significant factor in his condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of medical records and the need for a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected shell fragment wound right chest with retained foreign bodies in the right lung contributed to his death from pulmonary interstitial fibrosis and COPD.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for COPD and lung cancer due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. However, the claims are still pending as they have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has remanded them due to insufficient evidence of a nexus between his conditions and service. The case will be further developed regarding exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate opinions regarding service connection and DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including diabetes mellitus, right knee arthritis, peripheral neuropathy, and shoulder dislocation. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to inextricably intertwined increased rating claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss was denied because there was not a hearing loss disability under the criteria. The appeal is denied.,Service connection for lung disorder, manifested by COPD, post surgical residual, pneumonectomy, lipoma removal, is granted due to exposure to jet fuel and insulating material in service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development and an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's lung disability is related to his service, specifically any inhalation of fumes.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the cause of the Veteran's death and whether his service-connected disabilities aggravated or caused his coronary artery disease.