COPD Board decisions

The veteran's heart disease, other than hypertension, is not service-connected. The claim for residuals of a bronchial concussion and COPD was denied as the condition is considered direct service connection without any presumption or secondary linkage to service-connected conditions. The veteran's PTSD claim resulted in an increased rating but no new grant of service connection.

The veteran is seeking a higher rating for asbestosis and COPD, but the case has been remanded due to incomplete pulmonary function testing.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for right ankle arthritis and remanded it for further development. The COPD secondary to asbestos exposure issue is also being remanded for additional development.

The veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the VA did not provide appropriate care or treatment that could have prevented his death. The Board finds further development is needed to determine if the VA provided proper care.

The veteran died from a stroke, which is not service-connected. His service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus did not cause his death. The RO granted service connection for hearing loss with a rating of 100% effective October 29, 2003.

The Board found that the veteran's current respiratory disabilities are not related to his active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's COPD and PTSD were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for readjudication of the claims to reopen service connection for COPD/bronchitis and a lumbar spine disorder, taking into account all evidence received since the April 8, 2006 statement of the case.

The Board denied service connection for anemia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as secondary to the veteran's service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not establish a direct relationship between these conditions and his active service.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and no jurisdiction remains for the merits of the claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death, finding no objective evidence relating his death to service. The Board concluded that there was no relationship between any diagnosed conditions and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that no disability incurred in or aggravated by service caused or contributed to his death.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including COPD and PTSD, render him unemployable.

The Board found no evidence of aggravation or superimposed disorder during service, and there is insufficient medical evidence to support the veteran's claim that his COPD was caused by exposure to herbicides. The appeal is denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for COPD with bronchial asthma and coccidiomycosis is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records from Brandon Hospital and Dr. Enriquez.

The veteran is seeking service connection for COPD, emphysema, and bronchitis. The VA has ordered a remand to provide the veteran with an examination to determine if his lung diseases are related to asbestos exposure during service.

The veteran's unauthorized medical services provided by a private hospital were denied as the condition did not constitute an emergency and no VA facilities were feasibly available.

The veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, and he had service-connected disabilities that were rated as totally disabling for a continuous period of at least one year immediately preceding his death. However, the claim is denied because the veteran did not meet the requirement of having been continuously rated totally disabled by VA for 10 years or more immediately preceding his death.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to a lack of evidence linking COPD and arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease to active military service.

The veteran is seeking service connection for a respiratory disorder, including emphysema and COPD, due to asbestos exposure during his Merchant Marine service. The Board has ordered additional development of the case, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.