COPD Board decisions

The Board denied the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for cause of death, finding that no disorder which caused or contributed to the cause of the decedent's death was incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic lung disease due to asbestos exposure, finding that his current lung disorder is COPD and not related to service or any asbestos exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current COPD is secondary to his service-connected schizophrenic reaction, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's cause of death to his service, including exposure to asbestos or mustard gas. The Board concluded that the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was not related to service and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has ordered further development due to pending issues and new evidence. The case is being sent back for additional examinations and consideration.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine if the veteran's lung disorder, including lung cancer and COPD, was incurred or aggravated by in-service exposure to asbestos and unidentified chemical agents during service in the Philippines.

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and did not contribute to his death. The claim for service connection for the cause of death is denied.

The veteran is in need of regular aid and attendance due to multiple disabilities, including COPD, colostomy due to colon cancer, ventral hernia, left shoulder disorder, and residuals of bladder cancer. As a result, he qualifies for special monthly pension benefits.

The veteran's daughter is seeking payment or reimbursement for medical expenses incurred at Samaritan Medical Center from March 2002 to April 2002. The NAO denied the claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1728, stating that the veteran was admitted due to a non-service-connected disability and not associated with or aggravating his service-connected condition.

The veteran's cause of death was attributed to methicillin-resistant staphylococcus infection of the respiratory tract and decubitus ulcer, both related to his service-connected COPD. The Board found that these conditions were not caused by or aggravated by any service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for increased ratings due to a need for additional development and examination.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for increased ratings due to a need for additional development and examination.

The appellant's combined disability rating is 70%, which does not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate.

The Board found that the veteran does not have interstitial lung disease as a result of exposure to asbestos during active service and his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and bronchiectasis were not present during service or for many years thereafter and there is no causal link between these conditions and service.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, but dismissed his claim for nicotine dependence due to a lack of legal basis. The issue regarding an earlier effective date for SMC is being remanded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was caused by his service-connected COPD and related conditions, including a pituitary tumor presumed to be due to exposure to Agent Orange. The claim is granted.

The veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and he did not have a total disability permanent in nature resulting from a service-connected disability. Therefore, his claims for service connection for the cause of death, DIC benefits, and Dependents' Educational Assistance were denied.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of her husband's death and for DIC benefits, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for service connection. The decision also noted that the veteran did not have a service-connected disability rated at 100 percent for ten years prior to his death.

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

The Board found that the veteran's Substantive Appeal was timely filed, perfecting his appeal of the RO's November 1999 rating decision regarding service connection for a lung disorder due to asbestos exposure.