COPD Board decisions

The veteran's claim for service connection for COPD and emphysema is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the onset of his conditions during active service, their relationship to any in-service disease or injury (including exposure to asbestos), and whether they are related to his service-connected asbestosis.

The Board found that the veteran's current conditions, including left ear hearing loss, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with chronic bronchitis, perforation of right tympanic membrane, and arteriosclerotic heart disease, are not related to his active duty service. The claims for these conditions were denied as there is no evidence linking them to service.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hypertension, finding that there is no evidence of nicotine dependence or chemical addiction to nicotine during service.

The Board found that the veteran's rhinitis, sinusitis, and COPD are not service-connected. The nasal fracture residuals do not warrant an increased rating.

The Board denied service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and dysentery, finding that the veteran's conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has ordered additional medical records to be obtained in order to determine if the veteran's service-connected epilepsy contributed to his death, which would potentially allow for a finding of service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic pulmonary disorder, including bronchitis, asthma, and COPD, finding that there was no evidence of exposure to mustard gas during service and thus no basis for presumptive service connection. The Board also found that his current lung problems were not related to service.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of death and denied dependency and indemnity compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for COPD due to exposure to aviation fuel fumes and/or mustard gas is inextricably intertwined with a previously denied claim. The case was remanded for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion on whether exposure to fuel fumes caused COPD.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by or substantially contributed to by any service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The veteran's death was caused by a service-connected disability. The respiratory disease is considered to be aggravated by the service-connected psychiatric disability, and the anxiety neurosis meets the criteria for a 100% rating. There is no evidence of entitlement to an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss at the time of his death.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly his arthritis and pulmonary conditions, contributed to his death from a head injury sustained during an accidental fall.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's COPD to his service, including exposure to tear gas during his second period of active duty. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a sinus condition and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as a result of herbicide exposure, finding no evidence of such conditions in service or any link to service.

The Board has ordered further development in the veteran's case due to incomplete records and needs clarification on issues related to tinnitus, COPD, skin disorder, and PTSD.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is as likely as not to be proximately due to his nicotine dependence and years of smoking cigarettes that occurred as a result of that dependence, incurred during his period of active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, finding no evidence of a nexus between his current respiratory disorder and his period of active service or to exposure to ionizing radiation during service.

The cause of the veteran's death was dementia of Alzheimer's type, which is not related to his service-connected conditions.,The appellant did not have a permanent total service-connected disability at the time of her husband's death and there is no evidence that his death was due to a service-connected condition.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for VA examinations to assess his COPD, epididymitis of the left testicle, and cholecystectomy residuals.