COPD Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for bronchitis and COPD, including as due to asbestos exposure. The decision found that the Veteran did not have a current disability related to his in-service conditions or asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's death was not caused by or related to any service-connected disability.,The Veteran did not meet the requirements for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 as he had no qualifying wartime service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for COPD with emphysema and hypertension were denied as new evidence did not establish a relationship to service. The claim for hypertension was reopened, but still denied.

The Veteran's COPD is remanded for a VA examination to determine its etiology. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to the relevance of the COPD service connection issue.

The Veteran's COPD was rated at 100% due to severe impairment. After a reduction in rating, the VA found no material improvement and denied restoration of the original non-compensable rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for calluses of the bilateral feet has been granted.,The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for asthma and COPD, prior to April 25, 2018, and for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasons and bases in its previous decision, specifically regarding the relationship between service-connected depression and the Veteran's cause of death.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a respiratory disorder, right knee disability, compensable evaluation for an acquired psychiatric disorder, and an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the left knee. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with these other issues.

The Board denied service connection for COPD and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD) as the evidence did not support a link to service, with COPD being less likely related to herbicide exposure or in-service duties, and PTSD due to willful misconduct. The Veteran's anxiety was found to be within normal limits.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied because his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, as they are caused by nonservice-connected conditions such as COPD and emphysema.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death and the relationship between service, exposure to herbicide agents, and the Veteran's conditions.

The Veteran's cause of death is remanded for further review, including obtaining SSA records and determining the eligibility for substitution. The DIC claim remains inextricably intertwined with the substitution issue.

The Veteran's cause of death was listed as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic bronchitis, pleural effusion, and carcinoma in situ of other unspecified sites. The Board found no connection between these disabilities and the Veteran's service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected conditions, specifically PTSD and hypertension.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of various conditions, including left knee disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, depressive disorder, COPD, neurological disorders of lower extremities, and hip disorders. The reasons given were that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

Service connection is granted for COPD, with a finding that the Veteran's current disability is related to presumed herbicide agent exposure during service. The claim is remanded for further examination and development regarding PTSD, right knee disability, and bilateral inguinal hernia.

The Veteran's lung disorder, asthma, and sleep apnea claims are granted. The remaining issues of service connection for bilateral ankle, shoulder, hip, and leg disorders are denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to unresolved issues regarding his respiratory condition, right leg tingling and numbness, and acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD), all claimed as residuals of a gunshot wound to the left chest. The appeals are currently pending.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for consideration of evidence from a March 2019 VA examination and readjudication based on all available evidence.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing an expert opinion regarding his COPD claim.