Tuberculosis decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for blood blisters on the feet is denied as she does not have a current disability manifesting in such condition.,Service connection for a disability resulting from exposure to mycobacterium tuberculosis is also denied because there is no evidence of active tuberculosis and the Veteran has never been diagnosed with such condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided that a new examination and medical opinion are needed to determine if the Veteran's COPD is related to his service-connected Pulmonary Tuberculosis, or if it was aggravated by it. The decision also states that a pulmonologist should be assigned for this purpose.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the issues of service connection remain unresolved and are being remanded.

The appeal for initial compensable disability ratings for various conditions, including a scar on the bridge of nose as a residual of nose fracture and obstructive sleep apnea secondary to service-connected broken nose, is dismissed. The appeals for service connection for tuberculosis residuals and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for a respiratory disorder and residuals of a melanoma on the right side of the abdomen. The remand requires obtaining complete dates of active duty training (ACDUTRA) in the National Guard, obtaining VA opinions addressing the etiology of the Veteran's conditions, and providing an opinion regarding whether any current respiratory disability clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service entrance.

The Veteran's appeals for left ankle disability and tuberculosis have been dismissed due to his death during the appeal process.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for pulmonary tuberculosis, depression, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and anxiety), and tinnitus. The decision found that new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims.

The Board denied service connection for tuberculosis and a skin disease other than psoriasis, keratosis, solar keratosis, lentigo, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma due to lack of evidence of active tuberculosis within the presumptive period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lower respiratory disorder other than tuberculosis, finding that his current conditions did not manifest in service and are not otherwise related to service.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability to include tuberculosis, a circulatory disability to include deep vein thrombosis, diabetes mellitus, type II, a sleep disability to include sleep apnea and sleep deprivation, and hypertensive vascular disease (claimed as high blood pressure).,The Board found that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of these conditions. The evidence did not support a causal relationship between any of these disabilities and service.,The Board also noted that the Veteran had positive skin tests for tuberculosis during service but no active disease was diagnosed.

The Board has remanded the claims for tuberculosis, gastrointestinal disorders (including colonic polyps and chronic constipation), asbestosis, and respiratory disorder due to potential service connection issues.

The Board denied service connection for tuberculosis as there is no objective evidence of current tuberculosis or active tuberculosis during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's restrictive lung disease was caused or aggravated by his service-connected inactive chronic pulmonary tuberculosis. The VA is instructed to obtain an addendum opinion from a physician that considers all relevant evidence, including private treatment records indicating fibrotic changes and calcification of the lungs.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, TB with residuals, and GERD due to conflicting opinions from VA audiologists, a negative opinion on part of the January 2020 VA examiner regarding TB, and an inadequate nexus opinion on part of the October 2019 VA examiner regarding GERD.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and denied DIC benefits. The Veteran died from metastatic prostate cancer, with tuberculosis of the lung listed as a significant contributing condition.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, inactive pulmonary tuberculosis, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD).

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for residuals of latent tuberculosis, as the correct facts were before the VA adjudicators in October 2006 and the statutory and regulatory provisions at that time were correctly applied.,The Board also denied the Veteran's claim to revise the October 2006 rating decision on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) to reflect the grant of service connection for residuals of latent tuberculosis, as the correct facts were known then and the statutory and regulatory provisions at that time were correctly applied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left thigh scar was withdrawn. The claim for latent tuberculosis infection was denied as there is no evidence of active tuberculosis during or after service. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and left knee disorder were remanded due to insufficient evidence, while the claim for left leg and thigh disability (varicose veins) was also remanded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's asthma may be related to his service-connected tuberculosis residuals, but needs further clarification and evidence.