Tuberculosis Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sarcoidosis with pulmonary fibrosis, claiming it as a respiratory disability. The decision is based on the merits of the case and does not involve any presumption or exposure basis.

The Veteran's COPD is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine if it is secondary to his service-connected inactive pulmonary tuberculosis. His rating for the tuberculosis is also being remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to tuberculosis, hepatitis C, or hepatitis A and B. The positive PPD test is considered a laboratory finding rather than a compensable disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's inactive tuberculosis is not related to service, including any in-service respiratory symptoms or inoculations. The claim for service connection for tuberculosis is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tuberculosis residuals and his increased rating claims for lumbosacral strain have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability, but granted a separate 10% rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's inactive pulmonary tuberculosis, far advanced, is rated at a minimum of 30 percent due to the presence of far advanced lesions while the disease process was active. The rating does not exceed this as his condition has been inactive since treatment and there have been no recurrences.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic thoracic spine disorder, tuberculosis, or seizure disorder in service. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea but denied service connection for tuberculosis.

The Veteran's respiratory condition involving restrictive ventilatory dysfunction with reduced diffusion capacity, interstitial lung disease is due to service. Service connection for sleep apnea is denied.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various respiratory and foot conditions, including residuals of pulmonary tuberculosis, scarring of lungs, aspergillosis, and pes planus. The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected pulmonary tuberculosis may have contributed to his cause of death, pneumonia. The Board finds there is medical evidence establishing a link between the Veteran's pulmonary tuberculosis and pneumonia, which was the primary cause of his death. Therefore, the appeal for service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a respiratory examination. The issues of entitlement to an increased rating for bronchial asthma and individual unemployability are also pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran's cause of death, an abdominal aortic aneurysm due to diffuse cardiovascular disease (for 20 years), was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected pleural tuberculosis. The VA medical opinions provided strong evidence against this theory.

The VA denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his respiratory disability, finding that his FEV-1 and DLCO did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran did not serve during a period of war, and therefore is not eligible for nonservice-connected death pension benefits.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings were denied as there was no evidence of a compensable manifestation of coronary artery disease or tuberculosis prior to December 14, 2009. The Board found that the earliest date upon which VA had constructive possession of evidence showing the Veteran's CAD had manifested to a compensable degree is December 14, 2009.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal in September 2016, and the Board has dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the reopening of a claim for service connection for tuberculosis. As such, the Board dismisses this issue.

The Veteran's asthma with inactive pulmonary tuberculosis, far advanced was evaluated at a 30 percent rating prior to August 26, 2015.,Starting from August 26, 2015, the Veteran's service-connected asthma with inactive pulmonary tuberculosis was rated at 60 percent.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for pulmonary tuberculosis and pneumonia are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.