COPD Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition, including COPD, finding that there is no evidence to support an etiological relationship between his current COPD and active duty service. The only competent opinions are from VA examiners who concluded that the COPD is due to the veteran's tobacco use.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to be the primary cause of his COPD, left hip disability, right hip disability, skin disability, and sleep apnea. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's lung cancer and COPD are granted on a presumptive basis due to service in Kuwait after August 2, 1990. The brain tumor is granted as secondary to the now presumed lung cancer.,Bilateral pes planus is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for atherosclerotic heart disease, lung disorder, seizure disorder, and essential tremor due to potential errors in duty-to-assist.,Obstructive sleep apnea was denied as not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for COPD was dismissed because the issue had already been pending at the AOJ and a higher-level review request was filed before the VA Form 10182 Notice of Disagreement could be considered.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is not due to his service and attributing it more likely to his smoking history.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection. The acquired psychiatric disability, asthma, COPD, and sleep apnea are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection have been withdrawn due to the Veteran's representative requesting withdrawal of all appeals.,All appeals for service connection have been dismissed as per the Veteran's representative's requests.

The Board has remanded the case due to deficiencies in the record existing prior to the appealed decision, including a lack of an adequate opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's COPD. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is not considered to be the primary cause of his COPD.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, requiring a VA examination for COPD.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for a respiratory disability, claimed as COPD and a bronchial disability due to inadequate reasoning in the previous decision.

The Veteran's service connection claims for COPD, sleeping problems, female sexual dysfunction, and chronic back problems have been denied as the Board found that her current conditions are not caused or aggravated by her service-connected right heminephrectomy with normal renal function.

The Board has remanded the claims for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and tinnitus due to errors in obtaining VA examinations and medical opinions, as well as unclear information about specific exposures during service.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for pulmonary eosinophilia with COPD and a TDIU effective date prior to May 8, 2015 are being remanded due to the need for clarification of medical opinions regarding side effects from medications.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for a respiratory disorder, specifically COPD, interstitial lung disease, emphysema, and/or pulmonary fibrosis. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on whether these conditions are related to service exposure.

The Veteran's respiratory disability, including COPD, is being remanded for further evaluation due to the need for a proper medical opinion addressing his service connection claim and exposure history.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension under the PACT Act, but has remanded all other issues due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's heart disability, sleep apnea, colon cancer, and COPD are still on appeal.

The Veteran's arthritis, hypertension (claimed as high blood pressure), left hernia, verruca plantaris, and COPD were all denied service connection. The denial for arthritis was based on the lack of evidence showing a continuity of symptoms since service. The denial for hypertension was based on the absence of evidence demonstrating it manifested within one year of separation from service or with a continuous symptomatology. The denial for left hernia was due to the absence of in-service event, injury, or disease. The denial for verruca plantaris was because there is no evidence showing its onset during service. The denial for COPD was based on the lack of PFT values meeting the criteria for a 10 percent rating.,The Veteran's right hernia claim is remanded as the VA examiner did not provide an opinion addressing whether it clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service or if it was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's COPD is rated at 30 percent, effective January 13, 2011. The Board found that the evidence did not show symptoms more nearly approximating a higher rating.

The Veteran's cause of death is listed as COPD, but the Board is unable to determine if tinnitus contributed substantially or materially to his death. The Board also finds that reasonable steps should be taken to determine the Veteran's in-service toxic exposure risk activities and obtain a medical opinion regarding the relationship between COPD and these exposures.