Sleep apnea decisions — 2000

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected lumbosacral strain is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and evaluation of his condition.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for Meniere's disease, an original rating in excess of 30 percent for post-traumatic stress disorder, and an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for a low back disability. The RO is instructed to readjudicate these issues with consideration of additional evidence.

The veteran's claim for TDIU was denied due to his service-connected disabilities not meeting the criteria for individual unemployability. The Board requested additional medical evidence to determine if the veteran's service-connected conditions, combined with any nonservice-connected conditions, render him unable to work.

The veteran's lumbosacral strain, status post-L4-L5 diskectomy and L4 laminotomy is currently rated at 40 percent due to severe impairment. The RO has denied the claim for an increased rating.

The Board has granted service connection and assigned a 10 percent evaluation for the veteran's lumbosacral strain, but denied increased evaluations for his right and left knee disabilities and status post cholecystectomy.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for initial compensable evaluations for bilateral bursitis of the hip and lumbosacral strain, finding that the evidence did not support entitlement to such evaluations.

The VA determined that the veteran's gynecologic disorder, including her right ovarian cystic disease, was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and an effective date prior to September 29, 1959. The appeals were all dismissed as not well grounded.

The veteran's appeal was granted, and he is now entitled to service connection for his claimed conditions. However, the specific rating assigned and effective date are not provided in this decision.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea and assigned a 30% rating for sinusitis, rhinitis with headaches, and TMJ syndrome. The issue of increased ratings for these conditions remains pending.

The Board found that the veteran's claim was not well-grounded because there is no evidence of a relationship between any current disability and an injury incurred in or aggravated by the January 1975 VA surgery.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes, currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board found no evidence of current lumbosacral strain and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The RO denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and cerebral hemorrhage as secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral disc disease and strain, and denied entitlement to TDIU.

The veteran's death was found to be related to his service-connected lumbosacral disc disease, and the claim for cause of death is granted. The eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 remains pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased initial ratings for his service-connected disabilities of the right knee and lumbosacral spine, finding that an increased rating was not warranted under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and increased evaluations for cervical spine fractures with traumatic arthritis and lumbosacral strain. The veteran's headaches are rated as noncompensable.

The Board found no evidence of chronic lumbosacral strain or left leg disability during service and denied the veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, stating that no evidence showed any service-connected disability contributed to his death.

The veteran's Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the knees and osteoarthritis of the right shoulder are not service-connected, while his degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine is rated at a 10% disability level.