COPD decisions — 2022

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right hand disability and respiratory disability (COPD) due to lack of evidence of current disabilities or etiological relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Sleep Apnea. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for pulmonary emphysema and COPD due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between these conditions and exposure to jet fuel or herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for asthmatic bronchitis, service connection for sleep apnea and otitis externa with dizziness as secondary to his asthma, and TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The Veteran is required to undergo additional examinations and obtain medical opinions regarding these issues.

The Board has granted service connection for benign prostatic hypertrophy, COPD, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities due to exposure to herbicides in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an additional opinion regarding whether the Veteran's COPD is aggravated by his service-connected adenocarcinoma of the lung, specifically addressing evidence from a medical article.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for prior to May 20, 2015 is granted. The COPD rating issue from October 4, 2013 is remanded due to an inaccurate SSOC.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination findings and reasoning regarding service connection for COPD, including as a result of exposure to herbicide agents (e.g., Agent Orange).

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including a VA radiation exposure examination to determine if any current disabilities are related to in-service radiation exposure. The cases of service connection for high blood pressure and COPD remain pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's COPD and chronic bronchitis clearly and unmistakably preexisted service but were aggravated by active duty, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for survivor's pension benefits due to his spouse's income exceeding the maximum allowable limit. The appeal is also remanded for a VA medical opinion regarding service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's cause of death was cardio-respiratory arrest due to COPD and emphysema. The Board found the August 2017 medical opinion inadequate as it did not address whether his service-connected heart disability contributed substantially or materially to his overall decline in health, rendering him less capable of resisting COPD. Additionally, a remand is required for an etiology opinion on the cause of death and the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected heart disability and his death.

The Veteran's cause of death was due to metastatic pancreatic cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which were not service-connected.,The appellant is seeking nonservice-connected VA survivor's pension benefits. However, her income exceeded the maximum annual pension rate for a surviving spouse with no dependents.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion and the need for additional evidence. The Veteran's lung condition, including COPD, is being reviewed again to determine if it is related to service.

The Board denied service connection for a lung condition, including as due to ionizing radiation exposure, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's conditions and his military service or radiation exposure.

The Veteran's kidney disease and COPD were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and in-service exposure. The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence was against these claims.,For bilateral hearing loss prior to September 19, 2019, the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. Since September 19, 2019, his most severe hearing loss disability picture revealed Level IV and X hearing loss in both ears, which does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the VA did not comply with its prior remand instructions and thus, the appeal must be remanded once again for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung condition, including COPD, emphysema, and asbestos-related lung disease was denied in September 2005 due to lack of an in-service event and nexus. The claim is reopened as new evidence has been received indicating an in-service injury and a nexus. However, the Veteran's current lung conditions are still not definitively linked to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding whether COPD was caused or aggravated by service, specifically secondary to his service-connected CAD and stroke disabilities. The Veteran's COPD is currently considered a direct service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for respiratory and gastrointestinal conditions due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology. The AOJ must obtain new medical opinions addressing the nature and etiology of these conditions, considering in-service exposures and post-service treatment.