Sleep apnea decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including adjudicating the Veteran's application to reopen a claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus and readjudicating the appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder, finding that there was no relationship between his current disability and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding whether sleep apnea is caused by or permanently worsened by service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran withdrew the claim for service connection for reflex sympathetic dystrophy for multiple joints including the right wrist, right elbow, right shoulder, knees, neck, hands, legs, upper back, and lower back. The claims for service connection for a left wrist condition, right hip condition, and sleep apnea were not substantiated by the evidence of record.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis related to active military service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for left knee osteoarthritis and DDD of the lumbosacral spine are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including an examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea and whether it is related to his service-connected PTSD or diabetes mellitus.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his service-connected PTSD, as well as whether any aggravation of the condition by PTSD is due to psychological factors related to in-service gas mask experiences.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete service treatment records and inadequate VA examinations. The claims for GERD, hiatal hernia, and obstructive sleep apnea will be reviewed again with new evidence and opinions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to the need for further examination and consideration of his claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of her claims.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine the current nature and likely etiology of the claimed sleep disorder, including sleep apnea. The Veteran's service treatment records are silent regarding complaints or diagnoses related to sleep apnea.

The Veteran is granted an annual clothing allowance for the 2011 calendar year due to her service-connected lumbosacral strain, which requires a back brace that causes wear and tear on her outer garments.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a qualifying additional disability caused by VA treatment, including the stenting procedure and angioplasty in October 1998. The evidence does not support a finding of a mental health disorder or chronic fatigue syndrome resulting from this procedure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including additional VA examinations and a hearing. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain was rated at a compensable level (10%) from February 18, 2009 to April 7, 2014.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination. The issues of increased rating for dermatofibrosarcoma, service connection for erectile dysfunction secondary to diabetes, and service connection for a head disorder are being remanded.

The Veteran's back disability, rated as lumbosacral strain, is currently evaluated at a noncompensable rating. The Board has determined that the evidence does not support an initial compensable evaluation for this period.

The Board has determined that the veteran's sleep apnea did not have its onset in service and is more likely related to her weight gain after separation from service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied.