Tuberculosis decisions — 2012

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a pulmonary disorder, including asthma, chronic bronchitis, and residuals of tuberculosis is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected pulmonary tuberculosis, which was far advanced in the 1950s and inactive since then, does not warrant a higher disability rating.

The Board has granted the appellant's request to reopen her claim of service connection for the cause of the decedent's death. The issue of determining the cause of the decedent's death is now remanded.

The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and the non-small cell lung cancer that led to his death began many years after service.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development to verify periods of active service, obtain relevant medical records, and provide a VA examiner with a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's cause of death was related to his military service.

The Veteran's tuberculosis is not manifested by FEV-1 of less than 71 percent of predicted, the ratio of FEV-1/FVC is not less than 71 percent predicted, and DLCO (SB) is not less than 66 percent predicted. Therefore, his claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tuberculosis has been denied.

The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen her claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted since the March 1989 rating decision.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of active tuberculosis, and thus the Veteran's claim for service connection for tuberculosis cannot be granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and service connection for PTSD. The TDIU claim was remanded due to unclear medical opinions regarding the Veteran's ability to work due to his service-connected disabilities, including lumbosacral strain and pulmonary tuberculosis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's widow, Ms. C, requires regular aid and attendance due to her numerous disabilities, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiomegaly, atheromatous aorta, left atrial abnormality, persistent posterobasal forces, right corticomedullary area infarction, cerebrocerebellar atrophy, and osteoporosis. The Board granted special monthly pension benefits based on the need for aid and attendance of another person.

The Veteran's residuals of genitourinary tuberculosis, including bilateral tuberculosis epididymectomy, tuberculosis prostate, and status post heminephrectomy are manifested by voiding dysfunction requiring the wearing of absorbent materials that must be changed more than four times per day, non-complete atrophy of both testes, and a painful nephrectomy scar. A 60 percent rating is granted for these residuals.

The Veteran's tuberculosis has resulted in restrictive airway disease, which is rated as a residual of pulmonary tuberculosis. The Board granted a 60 percent rating for this condition.

The Veteran's tuberculosis is currently inactive and does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional private treatment records. The Veteran also indicated that his service-connected disability had worsened, prompting the need for an updated evaluation.

The Board found that the cause of death, pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), was not related to service and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board denied service connection for renal tuberculosis, miliary tuberculosis, and tuberculosis meningitis in May 1983. The Veteran submitted new evidence since then that relates to an unestablished fact (his symptoms during and after service) but does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to the need to clarify medical opinions from private physicians regarding the Veteran's claimed pulmonary tuberculosis in service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including jaw injury, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, tuberculosis with shortness of breath, dizziness and fainting, weight loss, and eye disability. The decisions are based on a finding that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to determine the appropriate evaluation for his service-connected pulmonary tuberculosis, including its residuals from bilateral lung surgery. The effective date of any award related to a 'bilateral lobectomy' will also be determined.

The Veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions and his claims for service connection are denied.