COPD Board decisions

Service connection for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted with an effective date of January 8, 2010. The Veteran's claim for service connection for eczema is dismissed as moot. Service connection for COPD and psychiatric disorder are reopened. Service connection for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is established.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims. The Veteran's claim for a right ankle condition is reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and verifying periods of active duty. The Veteran's respiratory disability is being considered as a direct service connection claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Crohn's disease, COPD, and PTSD were denied. The claim for accrued benefits for PTSD was granted with a disability rating of 50%. The Veteran was also granted TDIU based on his PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's cause of death was related to asbestos exposure during his military service. The VA is instructed to obtain additional medical opinions and treatment records.

The Veteran's service connection for diabetes mellitus is granted, while the denial of COPD and remand for further review on herbicide exposure are noted.

The appeal for hypertension is dismissed. The respiratory disorder, including COPD and asbestosis, secondary to asbestos exposure, is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected asthma and COPD with history of pneumonia and bronchitis rated at 60 percent is not sufficient to meet the criteria for a TDIU rating as his disability does not render him incapable of maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's COPD and OSA have been granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected asthma.,Service connection for a deviated nasal septum has been denied, and the Veteran's compensable rating for chronic sinusitis remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, a rating in excess of 10 percent for a bilateral foot disability, and service connection for brain disease have been dismissed. The claim for service connection for sleep disorder has been reopened, as well as the claims for chest tightness with muscle spasms and short term memory loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition, including COPD, is being remanded due to his failure to report for the scheduled VA examination and because there may be additional treatment records that need to be obtained.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for gout of the bilateral feet and COPD. The decision also notes that a new VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, including any complications such as erectile dysfunction.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to a lack of evidence linking his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung mass, and hemoptysis to his active military service. The Board found that there was no reasonable possibility that providing a medical opinion would aid in substantiating the claim.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied service connection claim for hypertension. Service connection is also granted for this condition. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a heart condition, COPD, an enlarged prostate, and hypothyroidism due to presumed exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Veteran's bilateral tinnitus is granted as secondary to her service-connected TMJ. However, the upper respiratory condition (COPD) is denied due to lack of a link to formaldehyde exposure during service.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, including due to herbicide agent exposure and/or tobacco use. The case will be remanded to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's COPD.

The Veteran's cause of death is not related to service-connected conditions, and his COPD was not linked to in-service asbestos exposure. Service connection for the cause of death based on service-connected CAD and non-service-connected COPD and peripheral neuropathy is denied.

The Board denied service connection for a lung disorder, including COPD and due to asbestos exposure. The claim of reopening an anxiety disorder was granted but the Veteran does not have a separate anxiety disorder other than PTSD.,Service connection for a lung disorder (COPD) is denied as there is no evidence of onset during or within one year of service, nor any relationship to asbestos exposure. Service connection for an anxiety disorder other than PTSD is also denied due to lack of a current diagnosis and the Veteran's symptoms being attributed to PTSD.,The Board found that the Veteran did not have a separate anxiety disorder other than PTSD as his symptoms were more likely related to PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and incomplete medical records. The Veteran's COPD is being reviewed again with new evidence and a thorough review of his service history.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD has worsened since his last examination, and a remand is needed to obtain a new VA examination. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the rating issue.