Tuberculosis Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pulmonary tuberculosis, diabetes, diabetic neuropathy, and acquired psychiatric disability (depression) are all related to his military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right upper lobectomy is at least as likely as not attributable to an acute TB infection during a period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) in July/August 1953, and grants service connection for the residuals of tuberculosis.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for inactive pulmonary tuberculosis with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and review of medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral ankle, hip, leg, hearing loss, lung disability (other than pulmonary tuberculosis), skin disability, psychiatric disability (PTSD), and erectile dysfunction. The evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Board found that the cause of the Veteran's death is not related to service, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

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.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for tuberculosis, pulmonary, chronic far advanced, inactive, with pleurisy and restrictive bronchitis was denied. The claim for TDIU due to service-connected tuberculosis, pulmonary, chronic far advanced, inactive, with pleurisy and restrictive bronchitis is pending.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim, but the reopened claim is still denied as there is no evidence linking any of the claimed conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development of evidence, including obtaining service treatment records and private medical records. The Veteran's cause of death is being reviewed in light of his service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service-connected knee disability causes loss of use of both lower extremities, such that he requires a wheelchair for locomotion. As his combined disability rating is 100%, he meets the criteria for specially adapted housing but not for special home adaptation grant.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for tuberculosis. The claim of service connection for depression was denied as well.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and the claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is denied as he did not meet the basic eligibility requirements.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and providing compliant notice letters.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left hip, including as due to tuberculosis. As such, the claim remains denied.

The Veteran's tuberculosis, inactive (no activity ever shown), with bronchiectasis, was evaluated as 30 percent disabling prior to June 1, 2010. The rating has since been increased to 100 percent effective from June 1, 2010.

The Board is considering whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen several service connection claims for various conditions, including obsessive compulsive depression, nasal deformity, positive tuberculosis test (claimed as pulmonary tuberculosis), costochondritis, headaches/vertigo, and abdominal pain. The disposition of these cases will be determined based on the outcome of the reopening process.

The Board found that the Veteran's COPD and PTB did not have their onset during service, were not related to a disease or injury of service origin, and therefore denied service connection for cause of death.