COPD Board decisions

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for COPD and a skin disorder due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for COPD has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals of all the listed claims, including service connection and increased rating claims. The Board dismissed these issues as a result.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, including asthma and COPD, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence of pre-existing conditions. The Board also found insufficient evidence to support an in-service onset or aggravation of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and GERD, both claimed to be due to asbestos exposure during military service, were denied. The VA examiners concluded that the current conditions are not related to service.,VA examiners found no direct link between the Veteran’s in-service asbestos exposure and his current diagnoses of COPD and GERD.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD does not cause the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, thus denying his claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding his back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and respiratory disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between his current condition and his in-service exposure to asbestos. The weight of the competent medical evidence does not demonstrate such a link.

The Veteran's right foot calcaneal spur is rated as moderate, and an increased rating in excess of 10 percent is denied.,Service connection for PTSD was granted on February 5, 2013 with no effective date prior to that decision.,Grants of service connection for right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome with shin splints were also granted on February 5, 2013 with no effective dates prior to that decision.,The Veteran's respiratory disability, including asthma and COPD, is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions.,The Veteran's left ankle disability is remanded for a new VA examination to determine the nature of his current condition.,An evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is remanded due to lack of recent VA examination.,Evaluations in excess of 10 percent for right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome with shin splints are also remanded for a new VA examination.

The claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Veteran's tinnitus has been granted. The remaining issues of service connection are remanded due to lack of a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development and examination regarding his psychiatric, respiratory/pulmonary, and OSA conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting opinions regarding whether the Veteran currently has a diagnosis of bronchitis, and therefore requires further examination to determine if any respiratory disability is related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, finding that there is no evidence of a diagnosis or onset during service and insufficient medical opinion to support a link between current COPD and military service.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding that the Veteran's COPD is not related to his military service or asbestos exposure.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection and increased ratings related to bronchiectasis with bronchiolitis, COPD, asbestosis, coronary artery disease, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and bowel disorder. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active duty service.

Service connection is denied for DDD of the lumbar spine, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, left foot disorder, and right foot disorder.,Service connection is denied for tinnitus, COPD, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of COPD, hypertension, and aortic valve disease with stenosis are remanded due to the need for VA examinations to determine their etiology. The appeal is also granted on the issue of reopening his claims for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, lightheadedness, and COPD have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for a left ankle disability, obstructive sleep apnea, and granulomatous lung disease. Service connection was granted for COPD.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is denied as not related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's asthma with COPD is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected condition. Additionally, because an increased rating could impact TDIU, both issues are also being remanded.