COPD Board decisions

The veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including migraine headaches, COPD, asthma, tussive syncope, fatigue, major depression and PTSD, joint soreness due to an undiagnosed illness, hepatitis C, diarrhea, dental disorders (loss of teeth), and hemorrhoids have been granted. The service connection is determined on the merits for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD, finding that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether the veteran's currently diagnosed COPD had its inception during his active military service.

The veteran's diagnosed otitis externa, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine do not represent 'undiagnosed illnesses' for purposes of entitlement to disability compensation based on active service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The effective date of the rating decision was not addressed.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death was not related to service or a service-connected disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable disability rating for histoplasmosis and a higher disability rating for COPD. The RO awarded a noncompensable (zero percent) disability rating for histoplasmosis effective from January 9, 1990, and a 30 percent disability rating for COPD effective from August 27, 1992.

The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred from March 1, 1998 to March 4, 1998 at Knox Community Hospital are denied as the evidence does not satisfy the requirements for entitlement to payment of unauthorized medical expenses.

The veteran's service-connected back disorder did not cause or contribute to his death from urosepsis and CVA. The Board found that the underlying causes of death were vascular disease and dementia, which are unrelated to service.

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

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 100 percent disabling from March 29, 1994 to the present. The claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU remains moot as the RO has already granted a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD beginning February 9, 1998.

The VA is remanding the case to gather additional medical records and review the claim for service connection of a respiratory disorder, including emphysema, asthma, and COPD.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that no disability related to active service was a principal or contributory cause of death.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for CAD and COPD, and granted a 10% rating for his hearing loss. The effective date of these decisions is not specified as it is factually ascertainable that the increase in hearing loss did not occur within one year prior to May 7, 1998.

The Board dismissed the appeal because no timely substantive appeal was filed within the required time frame for the issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for COPD.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to resolve the veteran's claims for service connection due to conflicting medical opinions and a need for further examination.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension by reason of being housebound is denied as he does not meet the criteria for housebound benefits due to his ability to leave his home and perform basic self-care activities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for pneumonia, coronary artery disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as new and material evidence was not presented to reopen these claims.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that his death was not caused by or substantially related to any condition of service origin.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected COPD is being remanded due to the need for additional clinical records and a new pulmonary examination.

The veteran's lung disabilities, including bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, bronchiectasis, emphysema, and COPD, were not shown to be related to service. The Board denied the claim for service connection.