Chronic bronchitis — all decisions

The veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease, osteoarthritis (claimed as rheumatism), residuals of an injury to the chest, arms, and legs, and bronchitis were denied because there is no current disability or evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted a 60 percent disability rating for the veteran's chronic bronchitis and asthma before November 28, 2000, and a 100 percent disability rating from that date. The decision is based on severe impairment of lung function.

The Board found no evidence of chronic conditions such as bronchitis, neurological disorder, skin disorder, sinusitis, or defective vision that were incurred during active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 and TDIU due to a lack of evidence showing that his current eye disability was caused by VA medical treatment, and because he is not unemployable due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 22, 1996 for the award of service connection for COPD due to asbestos exposure. The veteran's claim was reopened on this date.

The Board found that the veteran does not currently have bronchitis, pharyngitis, hypertension, or a low back disability. Therefore, service connection for these conditions was denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected herniated nucleus pulposus with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, residuals of a fractured right ankle with degenerative joint disease, bilateral hearing loss, and bronchitis. The veteran was found not to meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder, sinusitis, or bronchitis during service and there is no current diagnosis of these conditions. Therefore, service connection for these conditions cannot be established.

The veteran's chronic bronchitis is found to be related to his in-service exposure to welding fumes, and the Board grants service connection for this disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current bronchitis and finds no evidence of a causal relationship between his service-connected pulmonary tuberculosis and his claimed bronchitis. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has granted a 30 percent disability evaluation for chronic bronchitis, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 6600. The veteran's pulmonary function studies show moderately severe mixed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including arteriosclerosis of the extremities, coronary artery disease, respiratory disorders, skin disorders, left leg amputation, blood disorder, malaria, and right ear perforation, all claimed as due to herbicide exposure. The evidence does not support a current diagnosis or association with these conditions.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a neuropsychiatric disorder, including as secondary to a reported inservice head injury. Service connection was denied for bronchitis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased initial disability ratings for his service-connected herniated disc, bronchospasm (claimed as asthma), and bilateral knee conditions. The veteran was not granted any higher evaluations.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's death.

The Board has granted an initial noncompensable evaluation for each of the veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right knee disability, left knee disability, tendonitis of the right rotator cuff, chronic bronchitis, and PTSD. The RO also assigned a 50 percent evaluation for PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that his established service-connected conditions did not substantially or materially contribute to his death.

The Board finds that the veteran's heart condition resulting from VA treatment is compensable under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, and his increased evaluation for chronic bronchitis with a history of bronchiectasis remains unchanged.

The veteran's overpayment of compensation benefits was not solely due to VA administrative error, and therefore the claim for a waiver is denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).