Chronic bronchitis — all decisions

The Board denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date of February 4, 2000 for service connection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with a history of bronchitis. The RO found that there was no clear and unmistakable error in the prior rating decisions denying service connection.

The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for a respiratory disorder, finding that new and material evidence had not been presented.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected chronic bronchitis, finding that the evidence did not meet or more nearly approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board finds that the veteran's bronchitis/emphysema and skin disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The evidence does not establish a direct relationship to service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bronchitis with bronchospasm (claimed as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) as a result of gunshot wound to chest and found that new and material evidence has been submitted. The Board also determined that the veteran's current respiratory disability is likely secondary to his service-connected injury.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment, and the Board has determined that he meets the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board found no evidence of current disabilities related to the veteran's service, thus denying all claims for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back and left ankle disorders, as well as bronchitis. The RO previously granted service connection for bilateral patellar tendonitis and detorsion of the left testicle with bilateral orchiopexy but did not assign a compensable rating.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's angina is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected bronchitis with COPD, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's bronchitis was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence submitted since the September 1999 decision, including his service records in Southwest Asia during the Gulf War. The veteran asserts that he suffers from symptoms of an undiagnosed illness and asthmatic bronchitis due to exposure to fires and Sarin gas.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his eye and bronchitis conditions, do not individually preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that the appellant did not have a back disorder or pulmonary disorder to include asthma and bronchitis as a result of active duty for training. The claim was denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim seeking service connection for chronic bronchitis, thus denying the reopening of the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee and ankle disorders, but denied service connection for bronchitis. The veteran's left knee and ankle issues are considered new and material evidence since the 1995 denial.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder and for residuals of bilateral ankle stress fractures and residuals of a head injury, finding no new and material evidence to reopen these claims.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, residuals of an injury to the right posterior tibial nerve, and chronic bronchitis have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a greater than 10 percent evaluation for any condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting TDIU. The claim of service connection for hypertension is denied due to lack of evidence showing it was incurred in service.

The VA denied the claim for an increased disability rating for bronchitis, as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The veteran is seeking an increased evaluation for his service-connected chronic bronchitis-bronchial asthma and a retroactive effective date. The Board has determined that the appeal should be remanded to determine if the veteran wishes to pursue these claims.