COPD Board decisions

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder and headaches, finding that there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service or asbestos exposure.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that his fatal heart attack was not related to his active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a respiratory disability other than asthma, including COPD, that is related to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed disabilities, including residuals of a shrapnel wound of the left upper back and bilateral hearing loss, were not incurred or aggravated during active military service.

The veteran's cause of death was not related to his active duty service, and the appellant did not meet the one-year deadline for filing a claim for accrued benefits.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions (arthritis, heart disorder, residuals of polio, and COPD) are not due to disease or injury in service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. The claims were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for COPD, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen his previous denial. The appeal is based on a reopening of the claim.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, finding no evidence to support a direct or presumptive basis.

The veteran's death was not due to a service-connected condition, and therefore, burial benefits based on service connection for the cause of his death are denied.

The Board denied the appellant's claim of entitlement to DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, finding that VA did not fail to diagnose or treat a pre-existing condition in a timely manner and that the veteran's death was not due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance or fault on the part of VA.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating of his chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder with pulmonary histoplasmosis, as his condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's COPD is proximately due to and/or the result of his service-connected nicotine dependence, which began in service. Therefore, service connection for COPD is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional VA assistance in obtaining relevant medical records, including those from the Tuscaloosa and Birmingham VA Medical Centers, Dr. Jerry V. Mosley, and Ridgeview Health Care Center.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused or contributed to by any service-connected disability, and denied both claims for service connection for cause of death and basic eligibility for DEA.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of service connection for COPD with hypoxia, pulmonary fibrosis, and asbestosis is denied. The earliest effective date possible is May 31, 2002.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to address the veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and an increased rating for pulmonary tuberculosis, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The VA determined that the veteran does not have a respiratory disorder, including asthma or COPD, due to asbestos exposure. The major depressive disorder is not related to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Sawyer James syndrome with cystic disease of the right lung as a result of asbestos exposure that is related to active service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's current COPD is related to service or any exposure in service.

The Board finds that the veteran's current lung diseases, including chronic bronchitis and COPD, are not related to his service. The evidence does not support a finding of residuals from pneumonia or any other condition during service.