COPD decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history, leading the Board to grant TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for HIV, back condition, hypertension, emphysema, and bilateral leg conditions due to a failure to consider all VA treatment records from the time of service until the rating decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD is granted pursuant to the PACT Act. The right wrist disability claim is remanded.

The Veteran's respiratory disability, including pleural plaques and COPD, is being remanded due to the need for additional testing and a more definitive opinion.

The Board has remanded the claim due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's respiratory disorders, including COPD, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and non-specific interstitial pneumonia. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney/renal condition (shunts) and respiratory disability other than obstructive sleep apnea (COPD), finding no new evidence to support these claims, and concluding that there is insufficient competent medical evidence to establish a relationship between any current disabilities and service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for COPD service connection was denied as the earliest available effective date is March 7, 2016.,An initial 100% disability rating for COPD was granted from March 7, 2016.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for a respiratory disorder, including COPD, should be remanded due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions. The issues include left lung scarring, asthma, COPD, and lingular pneumonia.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's lay statements regarding his exposure to asbestos, particularly during service aboard a ship. A new examination and opinion are needed under the PACT Act for the Veteran's claimed pulmonary disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and lack of a proper opinion regarding service connection for COPD, including exposure to asbestos and herbicides. The Veteran's lay statements about asbestos exposure are considered, as is his MOS code ABE (Aviation Boatswain's Mate).

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for migraine headaches and COPD have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for COPD and chronic bronchitis due to inadequate pre-decisional duty to assist, specifically regarding the VA examiner's opinions on the relationship between these conditions and exposure to contaminated water in Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for a respiratory condition, including pneumonia, emphysema, and COPD due to an inadequate opinion from the August 2021 VA examiner. The Veteran's current respiratory conditions are currently diagnosed but the opinion is deemed insufficient.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to burn pits in Vietnam, and a VA addendum medical opinion is needed to determine if COPD is related to service.

The Veteran's respiratory disability, characterized as COPD, emphysema, and pulmonary scarring fibrosis status post tuberculosis, is rated at 100 percent effective August 25, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD was assigned a noncompensable disability rating throughout the appeal period, as his FEV-1 results were no worse than 84 percent predicted. The Board found that these results did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to have caused or contributed substantially to his death from smoking-related COPD and lung cancer, which occurred in September 2022.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between his in-service exposure and current condition.

The Veteran's service connection for chronic sinusitis and COPD is granted. However, the Board finds that remand is necessary due to inadequate medical opinions in previous VA examinations.