COPD Board decisions

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for further action, including consideration of additional evidence and a video-conference hearing.

The veteran's death was caused by COPD, with significant contributions from coronary artery disease and hepatic carcinoid. Service connection for the cause of death is granted. Liver cancer is not service-connected, nor can it be presumed due to radiation exposure in service.

The veteran is seeking service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which he claims as asbestosis. The claim must be remanded to obtain SSA records and a VA examination to determine the nature, extent, onset, and etiology of any lung disability found to be present.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, COPD, and CAD. The COPD claim was denied as it is not shown to be related to service or due to herbicide exposure or asbestosis. The CAD claim was also denied as there is no evidence of its onset during service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for COPD, varicose veins with edema and discoloration of the ankles and feet, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol levels. The reasons given were that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Board found no evidence of a direct medical nexus between military service and the veteran's current pulmonary disorders, thus denying service connection for a pulmonary disorder due to asbestos exposure or otherwise.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for back disorder with pain, leg symptoms and sciatica, as well as COPD, asthma and bronchitis. The Board found that a chronic back disorder was not manifested during or within one year after service, nor is there competent evidence relating current back disorder to service. For COPD, asthma and bronchitis, the Board concluded that they were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as secondary to his service-connected residuals of spontaneous pneumothorax. The disability rating for the residuals of spontaneous pneumothorax remains at 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD as an accrued benefit, finding that the veteran's COPD is related to his period of active duty service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's COPD and bilateral hearing loss are not related to service, including exposure to asbestos or noise. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board found that COPD was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied the claim.

The veteran's claims are being remanded due to the need for additional VA medical records from his treatment at the Amarillo and Lubbock VAMCs. The RO will review these records and re-adjudicate the claims.

The Board has granted payment or reimbursement of unauthorized emergency room expenses incurred at Proctor Hospital beginning on January 16, 2005.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee, hip, foot, back, and respiratory disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service. The preexisting conditions were determined to have existed prior to service and no aggravation was shown during service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for chronic cough, headaches, fatigue, and joint pain have been partially granted due to presumed undiagnosed illness related to his military service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War. The veteran is still seeking service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is being remanded due to the need to locate missing service medical records and obtain additional evidence, including private medical records and a newspaper clipping.

The veteran's daughter is not eligible for Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits because her 26th birthday occurred before the effective date of the veteran's permanent and total disability rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including colon cancer and COPD, all of which were attributed to asbestos exposure. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or any other inservice event.

The Board found that the veteran does not have asbestosis or any other disease associated with asbestos exposure, and thus denied service connection for asbestosis. For special monthly pension, the Board determined that the veteran is not in need of regular aid and attendance due to his disabilities.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The evidence did not show a link between the veteran's military service and his death.