COPD Board decisions

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, colon cancer, COPD, heart disability, sleep apnea, peptic ulcer, hydrocele, type II diabetes mellitus, urothelial cancer (claimed as bladder cancer), cervical spine disability, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, right knee disability, and left knee disability. The cause of death claim is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if COPD is secondary to sarcoidosis, and to evaluate the severity of the Veteran's sarcoidosis.

The Veteran's service-connected bronchial asthma with COPD is rated at 100% from April 10, 2013 to present. The Veteran's allergic rhinitis is not rated as it does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of VA treatment records and an updated opinion on the etiology of COPD. The Veteran's service connection claim for COPD is pending.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD/emphysema, finding that new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the claim. The Board also found a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim based on exposure to smoke during a fire aboard the USS Kitty Hawk in December 1967.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and active service or exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran's COPD was attributed to his long history of smoking.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities as secondary to diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease. The claim for COPD is denied due to lack of a causal link between current symptoms and service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim for service connection for COPD has been granted. The effective date of this grant is July 21, 2017.,Diabetes mellitus type II was granted service connection with an effective date of July 21, 2017.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to his military service, including exposure to herbicide agents or an in-service automobile accident. The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran’s malignant neoplasm, COPD, emphysema, and other conditions to his time in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lung disorder, specifically whether it is related to his service as a welder. The Veteran needs to be provided with an examination and opinion on this matter.

The Veteran's COPD disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the evidence does not support a higher rating. The Board denied an increased rating for COPD.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, COPD, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral feet due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active military service or exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not shown in service or within one year after discharge.

The Veteran's service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted.,Service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder due to service-connected bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the adequacy of the medical opinions provided, particularly regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his respiratory disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of pneumonia, to include COPD; and/or secondary to his service-connected unspecified depressive disorder with insomnia disorder is being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion on the etiology of his respiratory conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability, including COPD, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current condition and service.

The Board denied service connection for COPD as the Veteran's current respiratory disability is not related to his active military service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for COPD, rating higher than 20 percent for low back strain with facet arthropathy, and rating higher than 10 percent for left knee patellofemoral syndrome with pes anserinus. The issue of rating higher than 10 percent for right knee strain remains remanded.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The cases of COPD, left knee condition, and bilateral hearing loss are all remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for Bell's palsy, GERD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and myositis due to additional development being required.