COPD Board decisions

The Veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, but the cause of death (COPD) is not service-connected. The Board has ordered a remand for further evaluation regarding the relationship between COPD and service.

The Veteran's service-connected bronchial asthma with COPD is found to have caused his mood disorder, and the claim for secondary service connection for a mood disorder is granted.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the claims for COPD and heart disability.,No specific rating or effective date was assigned in this decision.

The Board has remanded the case for further action due to issues related to entitlement to separate disability ratings and a higher rating for sleep apnea, chronic bronchitis, asthma, COPD, and allergic bronchospasms.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of seizures. Service connection is granted for COPD including emphysema, and the case is remanded for further evaluation on issues related to tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the reopening of the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to lack of new and material evidence, including a brain tumor, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses and ambulance services incurred during a non-VA hospitalization at St. Joseph Mount Sterling on June 14, 2014 are granted as the claim was filed within 90 days of discharge from the private facility.

This decision denies service connection for PTSD and COPD. The Board has expanded the claims to include bilateral ankle, feet, and hand conditions. Service connection is denied for these additional issues as well.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for OSA is remanded due to a lack of an initial VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluation of his disabilities due to incomplete medical opinions, lack of VA examination findings during flare-ups, and need for additional private treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for pulmonary fibrosis and denied service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart disease. The decision is based on the evidence showing that pulmonary fibrosis may be related to in-service asbestos exposure, while COPD and heart disease are not shown to have been incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board's decision on service connection for COPD with emphysema is vacated due to the Veteran's death, and the appeal is dismissed as moot.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's respiratory disabilities, including asthma, restrictive airway disease, and COPD. The VA examiner did not address the Veteran’s contentions of hazardous chemical exposure during service.

The Board denied service connection for Asthma, COPD (as secondary to asthma), and Sleep Apnea as the Veteran's preexisting asthma did not worsen during his two-month active duty service. The Board found that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence of aggravation.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's back disorder may be related to his flat feet, but a VA opinion is needed to determine if this relationship is secondary to service. His bilateral flat feet are also under review with a need for a VA examination. For his lung condition, the Board requested additional information on asbestos exposure in service and needs further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including arthritis of the bilateral knees and feet, a skin disorder likely due to herbicide exposure, sinusitis, bronchitis, and COPD. The Veteran's pre-existing knee and foot injuries are presumed to have existed prior to service.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability due to asbestos exposure and denied an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's COPD was found not related to his service, including asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, diagnosed as other specified trauma disorder, is granted service connection. Service connection for hyperlipidemia is denied. The heart disability, ischemic heart disease and bradycardia, status post myocardial infarction and pacemaker implantation, is granted service connection. Type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension are both granted service connection. Service connection for a respiratory/lung disability and bilateral cataracts remains pending.

The appeals for service connection were dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development. The issues of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen his diabetes mellitus, asthma, sleep apnea, COPD, emphysema, PTSD with major depressive disorder and panic disorder with agoraphobia, coccidioidomycosis, back degenerative disc disease, and angular glaucoma claims are all REMANDED.

The Board denied service connection for COPD and OSA, finding that the Veteran's current respiratory disorders are not related to his military service.,The Board also denied compensation benefits pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for renal failure due to a lack of VA care during gallbladder surgery.