Sleep apnea decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of his sleep apnea and verification of periods of active duty training. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted sufficient to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome will be referred to the AOJ.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is being remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of his current obstructive sleep apnea.

The VA determined that the Veteran's alcoholism, which led to his death from end-stage liver disease, was not caused by or related to his service-connected low back disability. The medical opinions were divided on this issue.

The Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea is granted as his chronic sleep problems, including snoring and disrupted breathing, are found to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's rosacea does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under the applicable VA disability evaluation guidelines. The condition involves less than 5% of her exposed body and total body, and she has not required systemic therapy such as corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% prior to October 5, 2011 and at 70% from that date onwards. He was granted a TDIU effective August 1, 2012.

The Board finds that the Veteran's sleep apnea is etiologically related to his active duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal involves issues related to the reduction of his hypertension rating, a debt resulting from marital status changes, and claims for various conditions. The case is being remanded for additional development.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea. The VA examiner will be asked to determine if the Veteran's symptoms of excessive daytime drowsiness and episodes of falling asleep during active duty are related to his current diagnosis of sleep apnea.

The case is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the July 2013 VA examination, which did not address the Veteran's current symptoms or functional limitations. The Veteran needs a new examination to determine the severity of his lumbar spine disability and its impact on work.

The Veteran's kidney stone disability, which requires ongoing drug therapy for recurrent stones, is currently rated at 30 percent. The other issues on appeal are not addressed as the decision pertains to service connection and rating of kidney stones.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found to be aggravated by his service-connected chronic sinusitis, and thus granted secondary service connection. The claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea are related to her military service, while her heart murmur, asthma, and CTS do not have a direct link. The reduction in rating for pes planus was upheld.

The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine and Parkinson's disease were not found to warrant a higher initial rating, with the current 20% rating for the lumbar spine condition remaining unchanged.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to inadequate examinations and the need for additional development of his left knee disability, sleep apnea, and stroke claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and therefore, he does not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea with fatigue is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of his medical records.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea and remanded it for further development. The Veteran is required to provide additional evidence, including medical records from various healthcare providers, and undergo a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD did not cause or contribute substantially to his death, as there was no evidence linking the heart conditions and PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate examination and the need for additional evidence, including Social Security Administration records and a new VA examination addressing all theories of entitlement.