COPD decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for COPD, bilateral dry eye syndrome, and bilateral arcus senilis as secondary to service-connected disability due to incomplete or unintelligible opinions in the previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD and CHF is remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board will seek a VA opinion on the etiology of COPD related to radiation exposure during service, and on whether CHF is caused or aggravated by PTSD with alcohol use disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.,PTSD was granted with an initial rating of 30 percent, effective January 16, 2018. The rating was increased to 50 percent on September 15, 2020.

The Veteran's respiratory disability, including asthma and COPD, is granted as service connected due to exposure to toxic fumes during combat in Vietnam.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine (low back disability) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The decision is based on a finding that there is at least an equal balance of evidence regarding whether these conditions had their onset in service, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinion is not definitive and requires further development to clarify the relationship between the Veteran's coronary artery disease and his cause of death.

The Veteran's headaches are found to be proximately caused by his service-connected COPD and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, and pleural thickening are granted on an accrued basis due to presumed exposure to herbicides. The claim for COPD is remanded as the evidence does not establish its onset in service or a relationship to asbestos exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed respiratory disabilities. The Veteran maintains service connection for a respiratory disability, which he asserts developed during his active service and persists today.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, neck condition, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, and right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's COPD is found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD, and the Board grants this claim.

The Board has remanded the cases due to procedural errors and the need for a Statement of the Case (SOC). The Veteran is seeking service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and other respiratory disabilities, including COPD, asthma, and sinusitis.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for COPD and heart condition due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran's COPD is being examined again by a pulmonologist, while his heart condition worsening claim requires an opinion from a cardiologist.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and new information not previously considered.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a current respiratory disorder separate from OSA, and thus service connection for this condition is denied. The remaining issues of service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, lumbar spine disability, and hemorrhoids are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder and COPD, as secondary to in-service asbestos exposure and burn pit exposure. The AOJ is instructed to verify any potential exposure during service, obtain updated VA treatment records, and provide a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, which is presumed due to Agent Orange exposure, has been remanded for further review of the evidence.

The Veteran's respiratory disorder and skin disorders are not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking them to in-service events or diseases, including exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for respiratory and/or pulmonary disability, including COPD, was denied. A compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss prior to February 11, 2022, was also denied. However, a rating of 40 percent and no higher for bilateral hearing loss from February 11, 2022, to October 5, 2022, was granted.