COPD decisions — 2024

The Veteran's cause of death (end-stage COPD) was not incurred in service and is not etiologically related to service. The Board found that the long history of smoking, rather than exposure to toxins during service, caused the COPD.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for COPD, a heart condition, sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder must be remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and medical opinions. The Veteran's toxic exposure risk activity is presumed under the PACT Act.

The Veteran's COPD is being remanded due to a pre-decisional error in VA's duty to assist, specifically regarding the PACT Act provisions for toxic exposure risk activities (TERA).

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for tinnitus, hemorrhoids, and COPD due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors in the VA medical opinions.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for stroke. Service connection for COPD was granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure to burn pits, but the claim is remanded for direct service connection.

The Veteran's COPD and congestive heart failure are being remanded for further development.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to potential herbicide exposure during service. The VA will determine if the ship he served on was within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam, which could affect presumptive service connection.,The DIC benefits claim is being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for coronary artery disease, COPD, and depression due to service connection issues. The AOJ is required to verify the Veteran's periods of active service, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA, as well as his exposure to asbestos and carbon tetrachloride during any period of service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's respiratory conditions and exposure history. The Veteran is required to provide more information about his claimed asbestos exposure, and a VA examiner must provide an opinion on the etiology of his diagnosed respiratory conditions.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 50 percent, but the Board has remanded for further development on service connection claims and an initial rating for bronchial asthma. The effective dates for TDIU, special monthly compensation, and DEA benefits are also being considered.

The Board has denied service connection for COPD, asthma, and bronchitis. Service connection was not granted as the Veteran's conditions are considered to be more likely caused by her history of chronic smoking rather than her military service.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the timeliness of a VA Form 10182 is dismissed because her Motion for Extension of Time was granted, and she submitted a timely Notice of Disagreement.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions from the VA examiners. The Veteran's current diagnoses include COPD, HTN, heart valve replacement (prosthesis), aortic stenosis, atrial fibrillation, and OSA. The issues are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran contends his COPD and atrial fibrillation are related to toxic exposures during his Navy service, but VA did not conduct an Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) inquiry or obtain a nexus opinion regarding all potential TERAs.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error and needs to schedule an appropriate VA examination for the Veteran's COPD claim.

The Veteran's asthma, emphysema, and COPD are currently rated at 10 percent. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.

The Board denied service connection for COPD as the evidence did not support a finding that it began during active service or was related to an in-service injury, event, or disease. The Veteran's current COPD is attributed to heavy secondhand smoke exposure from working in bars and his mother's home.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disorder, including COPD, asthma, and bronchiectasis, due to asbestos and/or herbicide exposure or as secondary to the service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD, finding that the Veteran's current disability is causally related to his in-service exposure to asbestos. The claim was reopened due to new and material evidence submitted since the final November 2005 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for COPD due to inadequate opinions and lack of compliance with previous remand instructions.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in previous decisions and the need for further development, including obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's respiratory disabilities.