COPD Board decisions

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred during a private hospitalization from June 1st to June 5th, 2014 are now covered by VA.

The Board has remanded the claims for asbestosis, COPD, emphysema, and bronchitis due to inadequate November 2015 VA examination report. The Veteran needs a new examination to clarify his pulmonary diagnosis(es) and their etiology.

The Board has remanded the case for further evaluation of the Veteran's asbestosis with pleural plaques to determine its level of functional impairment.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to service connection for a heart disorder and cause of death. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's obesity, caused by his service-connected disabilities (PTSD), was a substantial factor in causing his heart disorder(s) and diabetes.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for obstructive defects, skin disabilities, fibromyalgia, headaches, and depressive disorder have been dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for fibromyalgia, to include bilateral shoulder and hand joint pain.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and the need for a VA examination to determine if any current respiratory disorders are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board cannot adjudicate the merits of the case as he is no longer alive.

The Veteran's low back strain has been granted service connection.,Service connection for high cholesterol is denied as it is not a compensable disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened, but the evidence does not meet the criteria to establish a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD has been reopened, but the evidence does not meet the criteria to establish a current disability.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral knee disorders, and lumbosacral spine disorder have all been reopened. The additional evidence raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea has been remanded due to the need for a VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected Generalized Anxiety Disorder contributed to his death from lung cancer, COPD, pneumonia, and coronary artery disease. The Board found the evidence at least in equipoise as to whether GAD caused or contributed substantially to the cause of death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further medical examination. The claims include lumbar strain, lumbar spondylisthesis, COPD, heart disability, prostate cancer, and bladder cancer.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and granted service connection for hypertension. Service connection was remanded for COPD and diabetes mellitus/ischemic heart disease.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between COPD and service exposure. The Veteran's private physician provided a statement indicating an asbestos component to his COPD, but more evidence is needed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cause of death due to herbicide exposure and/or asbestos exposure, finding that lung cancer did not have its onset during service or manifest within a year after separation. The Board also found no evidence linking the Veteran’s lung cancer to his service-connected hyperthyroidism.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left and right carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as his hypertension, were denied. The Veteran was granted a 100% disability rating for asthma with COPD and OSA effective September 4, 1998.,The issue of entitlement to TDIU prior to August 3, 2015 is dismissed as moot due to the grant of an earlier effective date for the award of a TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for CML, COPD, Addison's disease, and nerve damage in the back and hips. The claim for sleep apnea is remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for a respiratory disorder, including sarcoidosis and COPD, as well as asthma. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for interstitial lung disease but remanded the claim for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to potential aggravation by interstitial lung disease.

The Board denied reopening of the claims for service connection for degenerative disc/bone disease, spinal stenosis, cervical spine disability, and COPD/emphysema due to lack of new and material evidence. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of bladder cancer was also denied.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a respiratory disability is granted. However, the claim itself remains denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.