COPD Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for a lung disability, including asbestosis, COPD and bronchiectasis, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link to service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of degenerative joint disease, cervical spine, degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with underlying emphysema due to the death of the appellant.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding that the Veteran's condition is more likely due to a long history of smoking and not related to in-service exposures or service-connected asbestosis.

The Veteran's lung condition, including a pulmonary nodule, COPD, and asthma, is being remanded for further development. The appellant will be provided with the VA examiner's curriculum vitae to assist in representing their claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's respiratory disability and its relationship to his service, including exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory condition, including asbestosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and chronic bronchitis. The reduction of the Veteran's rating for duodenal ulcer, to include gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), from 30 percent to 20 percent was upheld.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is denied.,Service connection for COPD as due to in-service exposure to an herbicide agent (Agent Orange) is granted, effective January 9, 2019. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus rating is increased to 40%.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lung condition as secondary to his service-connected healed primary pulmonary tuberculosis infection and on a direct basis, finding no evidence of a causal relationship between these conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea due to new and material evidence. The claims of service connection for a respiratory disability, including COPD, are also remanded.

The Board denied service connection for left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis as secondary to left knee arthritis, and migraine headaches. The Veteran's left knee arthritis was not shown to have manifested within the applicable presumptive period or continuity of symptomatology has not been established.,Service connection for right knee arthritis was also denied as it is neither proximately due to nor aggravated by his service-connected left knee arthritis.

The Veteran's respiratory condition, including COPD and chronic bronchitis, is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to his service in Vietnam where he was exposed to herbicide agents. The current evidence does not establish presumptive service connection due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's initial service connection for asbestosis has been granted, but he is seeking a higher rating. The Board has decided to remand the case due to the Veteran not being contacted for an examination related to his asbestosis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of new evidence. The effective dates for PTSD and headaches remain denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for emphysema, COPD, and hypertension due to inadequate opinions in the November 2018 VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's PTSD caused or contributed to his COPD and death. The VA examiner did not provide opinions for parts (c) and (d) of the remand directives.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for declining eye sight and lung damage are denied. The Board also found that the Veteran's tinnitus, lumbar spine traumatic arthritis, left hip limitations, rib fractures, bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, chest wall scar, and eczematoid dermatitis need further examination to determine their current severity. Additionally, the effective dates for service connection of some conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of a nexus between the claimed conditions and active service.,No effective dates are granted as all claims predate May 3, 2016.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of service connection for a cervical spine disorder and asthma. The remaining issues have been remanded for further action.

The Board has granted the reopening of the Veteran's claims for service connection for Hepatitis C and ED, but denied service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine, COPD, seizures, MDD, and hypertension. The new evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disability, including COPD and asbestosis, finding that there was no evidence of such disabilities beginning during or being related to his military service.