COPD Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD has been reopened and granted, with a 50% rating effective as of an earlier date. Other claims remain pending.

The appeal seeking to reopen a claim of service connection for headaches and dizziness with blackouts is denied.,The appeals seeking to reopen claims of service connection for bronchitis and COPD are granted. The de novo review of these claims is remanded.,The appeal seeking to reopen a claim of service connection for chronic sinusitis is remanded.,The appeal seeking to reopen a claim of service connection for allergic rhinitis is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an examination assessing whether any respiratory disorder is related to inservice asbestos exposure. The Veteran's service connection claim for a respiratory disorder, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pleurisy, will be reconsidered after obtaining an appropriate medical opinion.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left wrist disability, and respiratory disability (claimed as COPD) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and the Veteran's military service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining updated treatment records. The focus is on determining whether in-service asbestos exposure caused or contributed to the Veteran's current respiratory disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction but has remanded the issue of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for prostate cancer, skin disability, and respiratory disability (COPD) due to herbicide agent exposure during active service. The Veteran's military records indicate he was stationed at Fort Gordon where herbicide agent testing occurred from December 1966 to October 1967.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the etiology of the Veteran's lung disorder other than his service-connected Castleman’s disease, including any potential relationship to in-service exposures and herbicide exposure.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for service connection of a left knee disability, which was granted in June 2013. The Board denied this request.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, with the presumption that it is related to active military service.,Service connection is remanded for COPD, as there is insufficient evidence regarding its relationship to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board denied service connection for restless leg syndrome of the right lower extremity, left lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper and left upper extremities, and COPD. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for skin cancer of the left inner ear and neck with Moh's surgery.,The Board denied service connection for restless leg syndrome of the right lower extremity, left lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper and left upper extremities, and COPD. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for skin cancer of the left inner ear and neck with Moh's surgery.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been remanded due to the need for additional records from the Social Security Administration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical nexus evidence and outstanding private treatment records. The claims are related to COPD, diabetes mellitus, neuropathy of various extremities, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further development regarding his exposure to herbicides and a VA examination to assess his respiratory disorders.

The Board has determined that the appeal for an increased rating of COPD with sleep problems is remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and consideration.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease had its onset in service, and if it is related to his increased smoking during and post-service related to PTSD. The case will be returned for a VA examination by a pulmonologist.

The Veteran's COPD is found to have started during his service in the Korean War, and he was granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right knee arthritis and instability, right shoulder disability, diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and residuals of a gunshot wound to the chest with COPD and pneumothorax. The remand includes requests for new examinations due to inadequate previous evaluations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, left hip disorder, lower back disorder, hearing loss, and COPD due to potential service connection issues. The VA is instructed to obtain any relevant private treatment records and schedule examinations to further investigate these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension should be reopened and remanded. The other issues are also being remanded.