COPD Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current knee conditions are not related to his service-connected lumbar spine osteoarthritis.,Service connection was also denied for COPD, with the Board concluding that it is not related to service.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to side effects of medications prescribed by VA is remanded as there are insufficient medical opinions regarding the causation and proximate causation of his additional disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that none of the conditions causing or contributing to his death were linked to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for emphysema and respiratory disorders is reopened, but the appeal remains on remand due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his current diagnoses.

The Board has remanded the claims for lung conditions and bilateral foot, leg, and knee disabilities due to conflicting medical opinions and incomplete records. The Veteran's smoking history is unclear, and VA must obtain SSA and private treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for VR&E benefits is remanded due to the need for a complete vocational rehabilitation file and additional evaluations. The Veteran also needs to provide evidence of unsuccessful attempts at employment in his chosen fields.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and dismissed the DIC claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death due to multiple sclerosis, and found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim. The decision also determined that there was no CUE in the denial.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a respiratory disability, to include COPD, is denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition that was caused by his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD has not been manifested by post-bronchodilator Forced Expiatory Volume in one second (FEV-1) worse than 80 percent predicated value, and therefore, the criteria for entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation have not been met.

The Board has expanded the appeal to include all respiratory disorders and has ordered a VA examination for the Veteran's claimed respiratory disability, including COPD. The examiner is asked to assess whether the disorder began in service or is otherwise related to service exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities because his single service-connected condition (COPD) did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for spinal degeneration with upper and lower back pain, hearing loss, COPD, laryngeal cancer, and skin cancer for further development. The claims are being held in abeyance until VA determines whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service.

The claim of service connection for COPD, to include as due to asbestos exposure is remanded. The Veteran needs a VA examination and the AOJ should review any report to ensure it is in complete compliance with the directives.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examination and incomplete development of exposure to lead paint.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD due to exposure to asbestos, finding that there is no relationship between his in-service exposure and his current condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, including COPD and URTIs, as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's cause of death, chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), was not related to service or a service-connected disability. The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death and denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Veteran's lung and heart conditions are remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to his in-service asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's unauthorized private hospitalization for nonservice-connected conditions was not eligible for payment or reimbursement due to the lack of prior VA medical services within 24 months preceding the treatment.