COPD Board decisions

The Board found that there is no evidence of asbestos exposure during service and the veteran's COPD was not caused by a previously service-connected condition. The claim for service connection for COPD was denied.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied.,Service-connected conditions include lumbosacral strain, chondromalacia of the right and left knees, headaches, hypertension, conjunctivitis, COPD, perirectal abscess, right foot calluses, rhinitis/sinusitis, bilateral flat feet, sleep disorder, hearing loss, ankle condition, wrist condition, shin splints, positive TB test, hyperlipidemia, and left foot tendonitis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for post-traumatic injuries of the upper and lower extremities, peripheral nerve damage, and a chronic respiratory condition to include as due to exposure to mustard gas. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death was not related to his military service, and denied both claims for service connection and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The Board found that the veteran's COPD and emphysema are not related to service, including his in-service tuberculosis or other pulmonary disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's COPD is due, in part, to in-service sinusitis and uncontrollable upper airway disease, which triggered bronchospasm and wheezing. Therefore, service connection for COPD is granted.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his medical records and to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of any identified disabilities.

The veteran's cause of death, COPD, was not caused by a service-connected disability.

The Board is remanding the case to determine if the veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed to his death, including whether smoking was secondarily related.

The veteran's current respiratory disabilities, including COPD, ARDS, emphysema, respiratory failure, pneumonia, and hypoxemia, were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The Board found no competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's COPD is found to be caused by his service-connected septal deformity, and the claim for secondary service connection is granted.

The VA has determined that the veteran's COPD with history of asthma warrants a disability rating of 60 percent, effective January 29, 2003. The evidence does not support an increase in this rating.

The Board denied service connection for COPD with bullous emphysema due to tobacco abuse, and the claim was not reopened as new and material evidence was not submitted.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including hypertension, upper back disorder, osteoarthritis of the joints, skin disorder (presumptive due to herbicide exposure), and peripheral neuropathy (presumptive due to herbicide exposure). The pulmonary disorder was not shown in service or for many years thereafter.

The veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and his claims for asbestosis, hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death, metastasized prostate cancer to the lung, was not caused or contributed substantially or materially by a service-connected disability. The appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of death is denied.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding that the veteran's current disability was not caused by exposure to aviation fuel fumes or mustard gas during his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death, COPD, was not related to service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have COPD, emphysema, or bronchiectasis that is related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a heart disorder, diabetes mellitus, and COPD. The diagnoses of PTSD, heart disorder, diabetes mellitus, and COPD were not related to his military service.