COPD Board decisions

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's left knee disability, found service connection for COPD not well grounded, and denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine.

The Board has determined that the veteran's nicotine dependence, which began in service and continued throughout his life, caused or contributed to his death from pneumonia due to COPD.

The veteran's claimed pulmonary disorders, including bronchitis, hyperventilation, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and emphysema, were not shown to have had their onset during active service or be related to any in-service event. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran has withdrawn their appeal, and the Board dismissed it due to this withdrawal.

The veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issue of service connection for respiratory disorder, to include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (claimed as chronic cough and short-windedness).

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of death due to promyelocytic leukemia, but denied the claim as there is no evidence linking the disease to military service or a service-connected condition.

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

The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death is not related to his period of service and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is at least as likely as not a result of his reported asbestos exposure during military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and nicotine dependence, finding that they were not incurred or aggravated by service due to his smoking habits. The law prohibits service connection based on tobacco use during active duty.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, Right Shoulder Disability, and Left Knee Disability. The veteran's COPD is not considered to have been incurred in or aggravated by military service. His Right Shoulder Disability and Left Knee Disability are also not considered to be related to his military service.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent from May 4, 1994 to October 6, 1996, and in excess of 30 percent from October 7, 1996 for COPD.

The Board found that the veteran's COPD and anemia, which were certified as the immediate and antecedent causes of death, were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board also noted that there was no evidence linking any service-connected disability to his cause of death.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for COPD as secondary to service connected tuberculosis, finding that new and material evidence has been presented.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 22, 1996 for the veteran's service connection for COPD due to tobacco use in service.

The Board found no evidence to support the claim that any of the veteran's conditions were related to his service, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a right shoulder disability, COPD, or low back disability that is associated with injury, disease, or event of his military service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board finds that the veteran's currently diagnosed COPD is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected residuals of collapsed left lung with pleural abrasions, and grants the claim.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for COPD, finding no evidence of a nexus between his active service and current COPD. The Board also found that COPD is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected asbestosis.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for COPD due to in-service tobacco use and nicotine dependence, finding that new evidence supports a link between current COPD and service.