COPD decisions — 2026

The Veteran's inability to self-sustain in the community due to his conditions, including COPD and rheumatoid arthritis, requires personal care services each time he completes three or more activities of daily living. The Board has granted Level 2 PCAFC benefits.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error in failing to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's COPD.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings on the lumbar spine, RLE radiculopathy of the femoral nerve, and hypertension has been dismissed. The Veteran's headaches are found to be secondary to his service-connected hypertension, and he is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD and COPD was remanded due to insufficient medical opinions. The effective date of service connection for PTSD is granted from November 18, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for COPD prior to January 22, 2021 is remanded due to a procedural error. The effective date for the grant of service connection for COPD remains May 22, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD with asthma is granted effective August 10, 2022. The claim for IBS was denied as the evidence did not arise within one year of the PACT Act's effective date.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for generalized anxiety disorder is dismissed. The appeals for COPD, lumbosacral strain, non-allergic rhinitis, left wrist sprain, and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve are denied. Service connection requests for CFS, chronic sinusitis, and sleep apnea are also denied.

The Veteran's death was not due to service-connected conditions, and the Board is remanding for further development of evidence regarding the cause of death.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as the Board Appeal request was not timely filed, and no good cause for extension of time to file an appeal was presented.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death due to COPD, finding that there was not an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence. The Veteran had a history of smoking but no in-service exposure to herbicide agents or other toxic exposures.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's condition and his active service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's progressive muscular atrophy, COPD, and disability manifested by fatigue are all granted as service-connected.,Service connection is established for these conditions based on direct evidence of a relationship to active duty service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for COPD, for accrued purposes is being remanded due to duty to assist errors. A VA medical opinion is needed regarding the etiology of the Veteran's COPD.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension and COPD due to predecisional duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's hypertension is presumed to have existed prior to service, but there was no examination or opinion addressing whether it was aggravated by service. For COPD, there was no direct service connection medical opinion on the relationship between in-service chest pain and difficulty swallowing.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error that occurred prior to the AOJ decision on appeal. The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD and emphysema as secondary to his service-connected hypothyroidism is being returned for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for COPD and emphysema due to inadequate VA opinions, particularly regarding the Veteran's smoking history and exposure to asbestos during service.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for bilateral pes planus due to conflicting medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's pre-existing condition was aggravated by service.,Service connection for COPD is also remanded as there are no clear and unmistakable errors in prior decisions.

Your appeal for service connection on the issues of PTSD, diabetes mellitus, COPD, duodenal ulcer (gastrointestinal disability), and headaches has been dismissed as moot due to a previous remand. The AOJ will continue to process these claims in accordance with the September 2025 Board decision.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bad circulation in the left leg, right leg, blood clots, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service treatment records indicate ankle injuries and foot trouble during service, which may be related to his current conditions.