COPD Board decisions

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder, diabetes, and COPD as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and coronary artery disease with hypertension and angina, finding no evidence of such conditions in service or within one year post-service. The Board also found that secondary service connection is not warranted.

The Board has restored the veteran's 60 percent rating for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and denied his claim for a disability rating in excess of 60 percent.

The veteran's application for an increased rating for folliculitis, groin is denied.,Service connection for sleep apnea and COPD are not addressed in the decision summary provided.

The veteran's claims of service connection for nicotine dependence, a heart disorder secondary to nicotine dependence, and COPD as secondary to nicotine dependence are denied due to lack of evidence showing the conditions were incurred or aggravated during active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's COPD is not related to his service, including any asbestos exposure during service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for COPD.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 because his pulmonary disorder is not causally related to a permanent pacemaker implantation procedure in May 1998, and did not result from carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar incidence of fault on the part of VA.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was caused by his service-connected coronary artery disease, which developed due to nicotine dependence he acquired during service. As a result, the cause of the veteran's death is now considered service connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed to his death from end stage cirrhosis of the liver and COPD. Therefore, service connection for cause of death is granted.

The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death is not related to his military service or any service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The veteran's bronchial asthma is found to be aggravated by his service-connected COPD with pulmonary tuberculosis, and he is granted service connection for this condition. His COPD rating remains at 60 percent effective from the date of claim.

The veteran seeks service connection for COPD due to asbestos exposure and PTSD. The Board has determined that further development is needed, including obtaining more information about the stressors claimed for PTSD and determining if there is evidence of asbestos exposure during service.

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death was due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which were not service-connected. The VA did not find a direct link between any condition in service and the veteran's fatal lung diseases.

The veteran's claims for service connection for pyorrhea and COPD secondary to Mustard Gas exposure, as well as dental trauma, were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of full-body exposure to Mustard Gas during active duty, and the veteran did not have these conditions related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for respiratory disorders, including COPD, emphysema, and asbestosis, to include as due to exposure to ionizing radiation because there was no evidence of a chronic respiratory disorder in service or related to military service. The veteran did not meet the definitions of a radiation-exposed veteran or one who engaged in a radiation-risk activity.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to his active service and have denied all claims for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle and right shoulder disabilities, as well as COPD. The evidence did not support a finding of current disability or a nexus to service.

The Board found that the veteran's nicotine dependence and COPD were not incurred or aggravated during his active military service. The Board concluded that the veteran did not develop these conditions in service, nor could they be attributed to any service-acquired nicotine dependence.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development to obtain missing treatment records and provide a VA examiner with an etiological opinion regarding the cause of the veteran's death.