Sleep apnea decisions — 2002

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable as a result of his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for retinitis pigmentosa and finds that new and material evidence has been submitted. The condition is presumed to have begun during military service.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and granted a 20 percent evaluation for lumbosacral strain from April 18, 1992.

The Board found that the appellant's service-connected disabilities do not render him bedridden or in need of regular aid and attendance, thus denying his claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain with right L4-L5 radiculopathy and a total rating for compensation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine.

The veteran's sleep apnea with tonsillectomy is not productive of impairment warranting a compensable evaluation.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection of his degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, concluding that it was not incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, right ankle, and lumbosacral spine disabilities on the basis that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service injury or disease leading to these conditions.

The Board found no evidence of sleep apnea, chronic disability manifested by shortness of breath, or a chronic disability manifested by memory loss and mental problems such as paranoia and aggression. The appellant's symptoms are attributed to alcohol dependence and possibly PTSD.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current back strain is not related to his military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia nervosa, and borderline personality disorder.

The Board denied a higher rating for lumbosacral strain, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected bilateral knee and right ankle disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran has withdrawn their appeal, and the case is dismissed.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. Service connection was not granted for sleep apnea, but Crohn's disease, mitral valve prolapse, and tension headaches were each rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, finding severe limitation of motion. The current 10 percent rating for sinusitis and rhinitis is maintained.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability, manifested by severe limitation of motion and neurological findings including decreased strength, warrants a 50 percent evaluation.

The Board granted service connection for the loss of tooth #8 due to dental trauma incurred during active military service. Service connection was also granted for undiagnosed illness manifested by diarrhea, fatigue, memory loss, and obstructive sleep apnea, all related to the veteran's Persian Gulf War service.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's status post excision of chondrosarcoma of the right cricoid cartilage of subglottic area, claimed as cancer of the larynx, based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Vietnam.