COPD Board decisions

The Veteran's death was caused by a malignant neoplasm of the neck, metastatic to lymph nodes and bone. The Board finds that this evidence triggers VA’s duty to obtain a medical opinion to determine whether the malignant neoplasm of the neck is related to his active duty service, including exposure to Agent Orange during service in Vietnam or an auto accident in 1976. Additionally, the Veteran's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema are being reviewed for their potential relation to service, specifically the 1976 auto accident. The Board also requests a medical opinion on whether the Veteran had ischemic heart disease that caused his death.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for a compensable evaluation for a surgical scars disability (due to adenocarcinoma of the lung, associated with adenocarcinoma of the lung and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) due to withdrawal by the Veteran. The claim of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for a bilateral hearing loss disability was denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been reopened and is being remanded.,An effective date earlier than January 6, 2015 for the evaluation of generalized anxiety disorder is denied.,An effective date earlier than January 6, 2015 for the evaluation of left lower extremity sciatica is denied.,The reduction in disability rating for ischemic heart disease from 60 to 30 percent was proper and remains valid.,A compensable disability rating for COPD prior to July 19, 2018 is denied. A 10% disability rating for COPD from July 19, 2018 is granted.,An effective date earlier than January 6, 2015 for the evaluation of hypertension is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability, including scarring of the lungs and COPD, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link between his current condition and an in-service injury or disease.

The claim of service connection for chronic bronchitis has been reopened, and the case is remanded for further development including a VA examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of any chronic lung disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's respiratory disability, including his claimed emphysema and COPD. The VA needs to obtain service treatment records, verify in-service exposures, and provide an addendum opinion from a clinician.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and left shoulder disorder. Bilateral hearing loss is considered incurred in service due to continuity of symptoms, while COPD and left shoulder disorder are not considered incurred in service.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for a special home adaptation grant, and thus denied his appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the relationship of the Veteran's COPD and other lung conditions to asbestos exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for chronic bronchitis, chronic asthma, and COPD due to insufficient rationale in the previous opinions. The case is sent back for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bronchitis, finding that the current COPD is causally related to his service-connected bronchitis.

The Veteran's DIC claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is denied, and the cause of death appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records from the appellant's period of active service in the U.S. Air Force.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for chronic sinusitis, COPD, and GERD due to duty-to-assist errors in obtaining medical opinions prior to the July 2019 decision on appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and a lung disability, both related to asbestos exposure. The case is being returned to the RO for additional development including verifying in-service asbestos exposure and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's respiratory disorders, specifically related to his service in Iraq and exposure to burn pits.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient opinions regarding the cause of the Veteran's death and whether VA care proximately caused his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lung disability (COPD/emphysema) is at least as likely due to his in-service exposure to herbicides, including Agent Orange. As such, service connection for COPD with emphysema is granted.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to COPD and stomach cancer, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or presumed herbicide exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and medical inquiry into the appellant's claim of being a helpless child due to her health conditions, specifically asthma.