COPD Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and an examination, as well as to clarify the service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's lung disability, diagnosed as COPD, was found to be related to his military service and not due to exposure to herbicides or any other presumptive conditions.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and PTSD have been granted service connection, while COPD has not. The right ear hearing loss is rated as noncompensable.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's COPD, claimed as due to asbestos exposure, was not present during service and is not related to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's respiratory disorder is related to his active military service, while his PTSD claim cannot be established as it lacks credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor.

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability and/or otherwise attributable to his military service.

The Veteran's death was caused by pancreatic cancer, which is not service-connected. The Board finds that the Veteran's COPD and nicotine dependence did not contribute to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a pulmonary disability, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and his military service, including in-service asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 9, 2004 for the award of service connection for status post lobectomy for lung cancer with COPD is being remanded due to a need for additional medical opinions regarding the continuity of his lung cancer from June 9, 1994 to September 9, 2004.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the etiology of his claimed disabilities, specifically bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and COPD with chronic bronchitis.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to the Veteran's request for withdrawal prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's COPD is related to his exposure to cement dust and other construction materials in service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA examinations and opinions regarding his respiratory disability and bilateral hearing loss. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with the hearing loss claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder as secondary to laryngeal cancer and TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding of nexus between the service-connected condition and the current respiratory disability.

The VA determined that the Veteran's COPD is not related to his service, specifically attributing it to his long history of cigarette smoking. The Board found no credible evidence supporting a link between the Veteran's in-service asbestos exposure and his current condition.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis, sleep apnea, headaches, COPD, and seizures as secondary to his service-connected residuals of nose fracture.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is service-connected as secondary to his service-connected PTSD and depression. His asthma is found not to have been aggravated by his active duty service, but he has no current diagnosis of COPD or kidney disease. The Board grants Section 1151 benefits for urinary incontinence and leakage resulting from the TURP, but denies Section 1151 benefits for retrograde ejaculation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing. The issues of entitlement to higher ratings for asbestos lung disease and special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance are still pending.

The Veteran's COPD with asthma is currently rated at 60 percent, effective May 20, 2015. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.