COPD decisions — 2024

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between the condition and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied due to his failure to report for VA examinations without providing good cause.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD was denied, but the decision to grant service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease is upheld. The heart disability issue has been remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD, finding that the Veteran's exposure to jet fuel during his military service contributed to his current condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of medical evidence linking the Veteran's COPD to his service, including potential exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam and contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the previously denied claims for service connection for a back disability, pseudofolliculitis barbae, erectile dysfunction, left hip disability, right hip disability, disability of the peripheral nerves of the left lower extremity, disability of the peripheral nerves of the right lower extremity, GERD, and prostate. The Veteran's current disabilities are being readjudicated.

The Board denied service connection for COPD and granted a 10 percent rating for asbestosis, but did not address the Veteran's claims in detail.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a thick heart disability, COPD, and right ear hearing loss have been dismissed due to untimely filing of the VA Form 10182.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of private medical records related to the Veteran's respiratory condition. The claim for service connection for COPD will be reconsidered with these records.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for COPD is being remanded due to inadequate notice of his upcoming VA examination, which resulted in the December 2023 VA examination report lacking PFT results. The Board will schedule him for an updated examination at his current address.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for COPD, left thumb disability, and SMC has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for tremors is dismissed. The Board has also remanded the claim of entitlement to service connection for COPD, to include as secondary to PTSD.

Your TDIU claim has been dismissed as moot because your service-connected obstructive sleep apnea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have already been rated at 100%.

The Veteran's COPD was not incurred or aggravated by service, and the Board denied his claim for service connection due to lack of a causal link between service and current COPD.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding secondary service connection for OSA. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with new VA opinions addressing whether his current OSA would exist without his service-connected conditions and if it would be less severe.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for respiratory disability, including COPD and asthma, is remanded due to inadequate medical opinions. The appeal for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder as secondary to laryngeal dyskinesia is also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the eligibility criteria for specially adapted housing (SAH) or a special home adaptation (SHA) grant due to lack of qualifying disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, colon cancer, skin cancer, and COPD disabilities based on the Veteran's in-service exposure to asbestos and toxic gasses.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA opinions regarding the Veteran's respiratory disorder and COPD. The case will be reviewed again with a new opinion from a qualified VA specialist.