COPD decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, testicular hypofunction, neck disability, cervical radiculopathy, esophageal disability, back disability, bronchitis, emphysema, and COPD. The issues are related to whether these conditions were caused or aggravated by his time in service.

The Veteran's COPD is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, but the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart and circulatory disabilities, hypertension, and COPD are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's upper-GI disorder and respiratory disorder (COPD) are not related to service, including exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.,Service connection for COPD is denied as it is not secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between COPD and herbicide exposure during service. The Veteran's claim for service connection is now pending again.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a pulmonary disability, including emphysema and COPD, as claimed as scar tissue in the lungs from pneumonia during service. The evidence did not support a finding that the current condition began during service or was related to an in-service injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of COPD, finding that it is not related to his military service and attributing this conclusion to conflicting medical opinions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma and COPD, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service disease or injury related to these conditions. The Board also found persuasive the VA examiner's opinion that the respiratory condition did not start during service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's COPD and emphysema, including whether it is caused by asbestos exposure or service-connected pulmonary nodules.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, but the claims for a pulmonary disorder and neurological disorder are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's asthma is granted on a direct basis prior to August 5, 2021 and on a presumptive basis from that date. COPD is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for residuals of lung cancer and lobectomy, as well as service connection for COPD, including as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The case is being returned due to inadequate opinions regarding the severity of the Veteran's COPD and its relationship to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting evidence regarding the etiology and pathophysiology of the Veteran's COPD. Further examination is needed to determine if there is a relationship between the condition and service.

The appeal for service connection for COPD, including as due to asbestos exposure and secondary to service-connected CAD, is dismissed because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disability, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; service connection for obstructive sleep apnea; and total disability rating for compensation based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to inadequate medical opinions. The issues are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to obtain medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's COPD, bladder cancer, or heart condition are related to his military service. The claims will be reviewed based on the new evidence.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including obesity, neck disability, Meniere's disease, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), OSA, low back strain, and COPD. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions (COPD and coronary artery disease) rendered him disabled to the extent that he required regular aid and assistance from another person, leading to a grant of special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance.

The Veteran's skin disorder, including sebaceous cysts and other than pseudofolliculitis barbae, is remanded for additional examination and opinion.,The Veteran's COPD is also remanded for additional examination and opinion.