COPD decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the pathophysiology and etiology of his claimed conditions. The claims are being returned for further review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, as well as his requests for earlier effective dates and increased disability ratings related to glaucoma, are being remanded due to the addition of new evidence. The Veteran is also having his SMC for loss of use of an eye reconsidered.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, and bronchitis has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's cause of death is granted as his hypertension, which was presumed to be caused by herbicide agent exposure during service in Vietnam, was found to be the principal cause of his death. The Board also found that his COPD was a contributory cause of death.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, asthma, and obstructive sleep apnea due to a lack of current disability evidence.,Service connection was not granted for bilateral hearing loss as the Veteran's pure tone thresholds did not meet the criteria for a current disability.

The Veteran's claims for respiratory disability, sleep apnea, and residuals of a left big toe injury are being remanded due to incomplete development. The VA needs to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and service-connected disabilities or other factors.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing records and the need for a specific opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's COPD and pleural effusion. The AOJ is instructed to obtain the missing Salem VAMC records, provide an opinion on the relationship between service and the conditions, and ensure compliance with the JMR.

The Veteran's currently diagnosed headache disorder is granted as service connection due to onset in service.,Service connection for the Veteran's respiratory disorders (COPD, emphysema, lung nodule) is denied because there is no evidence of their onset or relation to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD has been reopened and granted. A rating of 20 percent is assigned for neuropathy of the musculocutaneous branch of the left forearm, effective from June 16, 2016. Service connection for a heart disorder (heart murmur) was denied.

The Veteran's initial rating for COPD with asbestosis prior to June 23, 2014, is denied. The Board found the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.,Service connection for TBI or residuals of TBI and dizziness or peripheral vestibular disorder are both denied.

The Board has denied service connection for COPD and remanded the issue of service connection for Major Depressive Disorder due to COPD. The case is now being returned to VA for further development.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his atherosclerotic heart disease and other conditions were not related to his military service or any service-connected disability.

Your appeal has been dismissed due to the death of your spouse. The Board does not have jurisdiction to decide the merits of this case as it is no longer relevant with her passing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's in-service exposure to solvents resulted in current diagnoses of COPD with asthma, and service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and compliance with previous remand requests.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to inadequate compliance with previous directives and need for more responsive opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his claim for service connection for COPD, reactive airway disease due to radiation exposure. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable rating for left foot fracture, service connection for residuals of broken right foot, and service connection for respiratory disorder (asthma and COPD) were denied. Service connection for hypertension was granted on a presumptive basis based on the PACT Act. The Veteran's claim for service connection for sinus disorder (allergic rhinitis and sinusitis) was not supported by evidence linking it to Agent Orange exposure, and his claim for bilateral foot disorders is also denied.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection and rating for COPD, hypertension, anxiety disorder, and OSA due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication due to insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection for COPD. The RLE neurological disability claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of an RLE neurological disability.