COPD Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and service connection for PTSD with secondary uncontrolled angina and GERD is granted. Service connection for COPD is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to incomplete records and verification of his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's respiratory disorders, as well as issues related to skin disorders and colon cancer. The jurisdictional issue of an earlier effective date is not addressed.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected as the cause of his death due to lung cancer and COPD. The Board found no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents like Agent Orange during service, nor did they find continuity of symptoms or a direct link between in-service events and the conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension has been dismissed. A compensable rating (30%) is granted for COPD with asthma, but the issue of service connection for gastrointestinal condition with nausea and right shoulder rotator cuff tear remains pending.

The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by a disability related to his military service, including exposure to asbestos. The Board found that the Veteran’s cancers and subsequent conditions were not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD, chronic bronchitis, and obstructive sleep apnea are currently rated at 60 percent. A separate rating for the obstructive sleep apnea is precluded by law.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding no evidence of a chronic condition during service and concluding that the Veteran's current COPD is more likely due to his smoking history.

The Veteran requested to withdraw all issues on appeal, including those related to lung and skin conditions due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemia (claimed as coronary artery disease) and a stomach disability (claimed as an ulcer). The other conditions were also denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a heart disorder, esophageal cancer, diabetes mellitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The remand requires further development of evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Board has found that the service connection for COPD needs to be remanded due to inadequate medical opinions and need for further development regarding exposure to asbestos and lead during service, as well as aggravation of COPD by sleep apnea and causation of COPD due to hypertension.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's lung disability, including COPD, may be related to his military service and is requesting further examination and review.

The Board has remanded the claims for left hand, right hand, low back, left leg, right leg, bilateral hearing loss, COPD, sleep apnea, residuals of head trauma, and headache disorder as well as the psychiatric disorders. The VA will obtain all outstanding VA treatment records and provide a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Board previously denied service connection for a pulmonary disability, but the Court found this decision was flawed due to reliance on an inaccurate exposure assessment. The case is being remanded to obtain a new opinion regarding whether the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and addendum opinion.,The Veteran's claim for Parkinson's disease is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and review of private treatment records.,The Veteran's claim for COPD is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for extreme joint pain is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for skin disorder, to include malignant melanomas, is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and review of private treatment records.,The Veteran's claim for rectal impact surgery as secondary to service-connected organic aphonia is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion.

The Veteran's COPD is denied as there is no competent evidence linking the condition to his active service, and the claim fails due to lack of a nexus between service and current disability.

The Board has remanded the appeal due to its inextricability with other pending appeals, and will readjudicate whether the appellant is eligible for CHAMPVA benefits after resolving those issues.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for COPD, diabetes mellitus, type II, heart disability, erectile dysfunction, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and sleep apnea have been granted. The appeals are based on presumed exposure to herbicides during service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to difficulties in scheduling VA examinations because of his incarceration. The issues include arthritis, hearing loss, COPD, hypertension, renal failure, lymphocytic lymphoma, and thrombocytopenia.