COPD Board decisions

The Board has decided that the VA examinations in 2014 and 2018 did not adequately address the Veteran's claims for secondary service connection for COPD, liver disease, and sleep apnea due to his service-connected PTSD. The Board has therefore ordered new examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and COPD due to exposure to herbicide agents. The decision also includes a request for additional medical evidence and an opinion from a VA examiner regarding the relationship between the Veteran's COPD and in-service exposures.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and a back disability. The decision on COPD is due to lack of evidence linking it to service, while the back disability claim requires additional examination and opinion.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted prior to March 1, 2016. From that date, a higher rating for PTSD is denied. Service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss disability are granted. The issues of service connection for lung condition (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and TDIU prior to March 1, 2016 remain pending.

The Veteran's initial rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and his claim for service connection of COPD is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Board denied service connection for a chronic respiratory disorder, including COPD, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back condition, COPD, and heart condition due to new and material evidence. The cases are now remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that there is a nexus between the Veteran's COPD and his service, specifically exposure to secondhand smoke. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a respiratory disability due to service, as there are unclear findings from his October 2017 pulmonary function test and outstanding medical records need to be obtained. The examiner is asked to provide an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's respiratory symptoms.

The Board has granted entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to asbestosis caused by in-service asbestos exposure. The appeal regarding burial benefits is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, metastatic lung cancer, and squamous cell carcinoma of the left oropharynx as there was no evidence linking these conditions to service, including exposure to asbestos.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, and COPD were not found to be service-connected due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,Chronic high blood pressure was also not found to be service-connected as no VA examiner provided an opinion on its etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for COPD and cirrhosis of the liver, as well as the claim for cause of death. The VA will obtain additional medical records and provide a new opinion regarding the Veteran's exposure to JP-4 jet fuel during service and its relation to his current conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and bronchitis with asthma due to an incomplete record search. The case will be returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including scheduling VA examinations to determine if the Veteran's lumbar DDD and COPD are related to service.

Your service connection for a respiratory disorder, including COPD, asthma, and pneumonia, has been granted. The appeal is dismissed as the full benefit sought on appeal has been granted.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, cerebrovascular accident (stroke), heart disorder, and lung disorder to include COPD and emphysema have all been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service or presumed exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete research on the Veteran's exposure to mustard gas and other chemicals during service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a chronic disorder of the lungs, including COPD, which he claims was caused by his service. Additional research is needed to confirm or deny any exposure to these substances.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected Multiple Sclerosis is being remanded.,His claim for secondary service connection of chronic pneumonia and breathing difficulties to his service-connected MS is also being remanded.,The cause of the Veteran's death, which was attributed to pneumonia due to COPD, is being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim of residuals of tonsillitis, as there is no indication that the Veteran currently has any residual symptoms from his service-connected tonsillitis.,Service connection for tinnitus was also denied due to a lack of current evidence linking the condition to service or a service-connected disability. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen this claim.