COPD decisions — 2023

The Veteran's lumbar strain is rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum rating available under the General Rating Formula for Disease and Injuries of the Spine.,The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is currently rated at 10 percent. The evidence does not support a higher rating as there are no indications of severe disability.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular accident, peripheral vascular disease, COPD, and severe obstructive sleep apnea, all of which are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Thailand. The secondary service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea is also granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to verify his service in the Ohio Air National Guard and determine if any periods of deployment were federal service. The claims for service connection will be reconsidered after this verification.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and COPD with asthma secondary to the Veteran's service-connected residuals of TBI with persistent depressive disorder. The initial disability rating for residuals of TBI is also granted at 100 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection for a respiratory condition, including asthma and COPD. The VA must obtain an adequate opinion addressing direct and secondary service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disability, right upper extremity radiculopathy, asbestosis, and lung disability/COPD. The Veteran's conditions are found to be related to his military service.

Service connection for the cause of death is granted due to exposure to herbicides in Thailand, presumptively associated with multiple myeloma.,Service connection for plasma cell leukemia (presumptive under PACT Act) is granted for accrued benefits purposes.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for scars, including surgical excision due to melanoma and appendectomy, has been withdrawn. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for various conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to be related to his current diagnoses of OSA, hypertension, GERD, heart disease, and stroke. The Veteran's headaches are rated as 50% disabling throughout the appeal period.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and a lung disorder, to include calcified granuloma of the right lung, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the claim for service connection of COPD, finding that the Veteran's smoking history is more likely the cause of his COPD rather than any in-service exposures.

The Board has determined that the cause of death (CHF, laryngeal cancer, and COPD) is not related to service. The case is being remanded for further development including obtaining in-patient records from Camp Carson, Colorado, verifying asbestos exposure during service, and obtaining a new VA medical opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA secondary to service-connected asthma and COPD. The issue of TDIU is remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the grant of service connection.

The Board has found that further development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed respiratory disorders, including chronic bronchitis, COPD, and lung cancer. The case is being remanded for obtaining additional records and conducting a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions from a pulmonology specialist and further development is needed.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for coronary artery disease is denied.,The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for OSA, a back disorder, and COPD as secondary to his service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, COPD, sinusitis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to new and material evidence. The claims are now remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD and obstructive sleep apnea, both presumed to be due to in-service exposure to burn pits. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, while the evidence is against finding that COPD began during service or is otherwise related to service.,The claim for service connection for skin cancer remains pending.

The Veteran's hypertension, COPD, and stomach condition are presumed to be due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. However, the effective date of service connection for these conditions is limited by the PACT Act of 2022, which grants presumptive service connection from August 10, 2022. The claims for hypertension prior to this date and for COPD and stomach condition are remanded for additional development.