Sleep apnea decisions — 2014

The Board has decided that the claim for service connection for sleep apnea requires additional development and a remand to obtain a VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's sleep apnea and right knee disability are granted service connection, while the initial compensable evaluation for hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux disease is denied. The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding this issue.

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

The Board finds that the Veteran's low back disability is due to his service-connected rupture of the left Achilles tendon. The claim for sleep apnea is denied as there is no evidence of a relationship between the condition and active duty service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if his current condition is related to in-service nose fractures.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's dental malocclusion and sleep apnea claims are inextricably intertwined, and thus must be remanded for further development. The case is also being remanded to conduct a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's dental malocclusion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, which is secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral spine fusion with sacroiliac dysfunction, has been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's appeal for an evaluation in excess of 40 percent for his service-connected lumbosacral strain has been withdrawn.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current sleep apnea disability is related to his active service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete verification of the Veteran's Army Reserve service dates. The issues of entitlement to service connection for hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea are now pending.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and providing a VA examination to address the nature and etiology of his low back disability, as well as any aggravation by his service-connected Parkinson's disease.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to be aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and the Board grants secondary service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA psychiatric examination to assess his PTSD and an etiological opinion regarding his sleep apnea. The issues of entitlement to increased evaluation for PTSD and service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining updated treatment records and a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected lumbosacral strain and any right leg disability.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a videoconference hearing due to the Veteran's request.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep disorder, including insomnia and sleep apnea, did not have its clinical onset in service or is otherwise related to active duty. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's current sleep apnea is causally related to his in-service complaints of sleep problems, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether sleep apnea is related to service or diabetes mellitus. The Veteran will need a VA examination with a sleep specialist to address these issues.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected lumbosacral spine disability, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and right ankle strain have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support assigning an initial rating greater than 10 percent for any of these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim for service connection.