COPD decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected COPD and OSA have been granted an initial rating of 100 percent effective July 31, 2018. The appeal for TDIU is dismissed as moot.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's COPD, right hip disability, and obstructive sleep apnea are not service-connected. The claims for these conditions have been remanded to allow for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's COPD was not incurred or aggravated during service and is unrelated to service. The Board denied the claim as there is no evidence of a nexus between the claimed condition and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD as there is no current diagnosis of COPD and insufficient evidence to establish a link between service and the condition.

The Veteran's lung condition is being remanded due to a duty to assist error and insufficient evidence linking his conditions to service.

The Veteran's hypertension is not exceptional and does not warrant a compensable evaluation.,Service connection for COPD is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's COPD and his service, specifically Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD was granted with an effective date of July 8, 2022. This decision is based on a direct theory of entitlement due to presumed in-service exposure.

The Board has remanded all but one of the claims for additional development, particularly to determine whether the Veteran served in Vietnam and was exposed to tactical herbicide agents. The dental disability claim is denied as there is no indication or assertion that tactical herbicide agents resulted in a dental disability.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension effective from August 10, 2022, under the PACT Act. The other issues are remanded due to new evidence and potential TERA exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable initial disability rating for COPD has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection of COPD, and the Board dismissed it.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning and lack of a medical opinion regarding the cause of death. The Veteran's cause of death was listed as cardiorespiratory arrest due to liver cancer, COPD, and ethanolism. A medical opinion is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection of COPD, and the Board dismissed it.

The Board has dismissed the appellant's appeals for various service connection claims due to his withdrawal of all appeals prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's cause of death was not found to be related to his active-duty service, including exposure to herbicides. The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to obtain a TERA examination for stage 3 COPD, which is related to presumed exposure to fuels, fumes, oils, and solvents during service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, COPD, sleep apnea, and peripheral neuropathy as secondary to a service-connected condition. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Veteran's lung conditions, including COPD and bronchiectasis, are presumed to be related to his service due to exposure to burn pits in Kuwait and Iraq. Service connection is granted for these conditions under the PACT Act.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for respiratory condition, to include COPD and asthma, due to a duty to assist error in not providing an adequate VA medical opinion prior to the rating decision on appeal.