COPD Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for clarification on whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the previously denied claim seeking service connection for respiratory disability, including tracheobronchitis, COPD or bronchiectasis, due to exposure to mustard gas in service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and throat cancer, as these conditions are not shown to be related to military service or nicotine dependence.

The Board denied service connection for bronchitis with bronchospasm (claimed as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) as a result of gunshot wound to chest, finding no evidence of such condition in service or within several years after discharge. The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for conversion reaction with back pain remains pending.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that nicotine dependency did not qualify as a service-connected condition due to VA policy prohibiting such claims filed after June 9, 1998.

The veteran's PTSD was found to be in remission and his COPD was rated at 30 percent from December 2, 1998 onwards.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for allergies, initial ratings for COPD and arthritis of the thoracic spine, and an initial compensable evaluation for hand warts. The appeals were decided on the merits.

The Board found that the veteran's causes of death are not related to service or his service-connected conditions.

The veteran's COPD and skin disorders are not service connected due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service or exposure to herbicides.,Service connection for PTSD is denied as there was no combat experience reported by the veteran.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by VA treatment on July 18, 2001 and August 23, 2001. The proximate cause of his death was a heart attack suffered on August 25, 2001.

The Board finds that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for bronchitis and COPD, nummular eczema, herpes, and dermatitis (claimed as rashes).

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for additional development, including obtaining service records and a VA examination.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder (COPD and Bronchitis) has been reopened, with the Board finding that new and material evidence supports reopening of this claim. The Board also found that his current respiratory disorder is related to his active duty service.,Service connection was denied for conjunctivitis, right eye, as there is no clear evidence linking this condition to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is related to his service, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the appellant did not have valid military service for purposes of VA benefits and denied his claim.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected PTSD did not cause or contribute to his death from coronary artery disease, COPD, and renal failure. The DIC claim was also denied as the veteran was not rated as totally disabled for at least ten years immediately preceding his death.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death, COPD, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and did not materially contribute to his death.

The veteran's claim for service connection for lung disease, including COPD and emphysema, was denied as there is no evidence of a link between the conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's calcification of the hilar region of the lungs and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are not service-connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current pulmonary disorders are not related to his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and his eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35 of the U.S. Code is denied.