Sleep apnea decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records. The Veteran's pending claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and TDIU will also be adjudicated.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and sleep apnea.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea and deep vein thrombosis, all secondary to his service-connected TBI. The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues, including a request for a rating adjustment for lumbosacral strain and the reopening of her claim for bilateral hearing loss disability. She also seeks service connection for various conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea, alopecia, folliculitis, and tinea pedis. The case is being remanded to schedule a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea was incurred during his active service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected asthma may have caused her sleep apnea due to weight gain from prednisone use, and thus grants service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to her service-connected asthma.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and left hip strain, finding that the current disabilities are likely due to service-connected bilateral foot disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete examination reports and failure to provide a clear rationale for opinions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disorder. Service connection is granted for lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been granted, effective June 1, 2005. The issue of entitlement to TDIU prior to August 30, 2012 is being remanded due to the change in his disability picture.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD aggravates his sleep apnea, warranting service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The case is being remanded for additional development of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further research into his exposure to herbicides during service and a VA examination to determine if he has confirmed diagnoses of the claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea is related to his active military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and found that new and material evidence had been received. The Veteran is now entitled to a decision on whether his OSA is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been withdrawn. The compensable disability rating for deviated nasal septum and rhinitis is denied. The claim for service connection for migraine headaches has been reopened, but the criteria for service connection are not met. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea remains denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability and finds that myofascial lumbosacral syndrome is etiologically related to active service. The issue of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for hypertension will be remanded as it was not addressed in the July 2013 decision.