Tuberculosis decisions — 2011

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, disability of both hips, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, asbestos exposure, and tuberculosis are all granted. The Veteran is assigned a 30 percent rating for his cervical spine disability since March 26, 2008.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development and review, including reopening of a previously denied claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. The appellant argues that exposure to radiation during service may have contributed to the Veteran's lung cancer, which was his cause of death.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected pulmonary tuberculosis did not contribute to his death due to ventricular fibrillation and cardiomyopathy. The evidence does not support a finding of any role between the Veteran's residuals of tuberculosis and his death.