Sleep apnea decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service-connected nasal septoplasty or any other factors.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, residuals of a traumatic brain injury, and PTSD due to lack of evidence meeting the diagnostic criteria.

The Board found that there is no current diagnosis of a chronic disability manifested by chest pain, sleep apnea, or right eye disability. Therefore, the Veteran's claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and a psychosis, finding that new and material evidence has been received. The claims are now considered on their merits.

The Board has ordered a remand to clarify the VA examiner's opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD chronically worsened his sleep apnea. The case will be readjudicated after this.

The Veteran's claims for a clothing allowance, dental disability, and hypertension are being remanded. The claim to reopen his sleep apnea is also pending. The Board will schedule the Veteran for a hearing at the RO in North Little Rock.

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy is proximately due to, or caused by his service-connected lumbosacral strain. The Board finds that the Veteran's cervical spine disability may be related to his service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbosacral spine disorder, ulcerative colitis, heart murmur, and obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia. The Veteran's current conditions are related to his service-connected lower extremity disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current hearing loss or tinnitus for VA purposes and thus cannot establish service connection. The claims for sleep apnea, depression, and Meniere's syndrome are remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's sleep-related symptoms, including snoring, gagging, restlessness, and daytime sleepiness, began during service. The Board finds that these symptoms are related to the current diagnosis of sleep apnea, which was diagnosed approximately 18 months after service separation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities, as well as his right and left knee disabilities, hypertension, and sleep apnea are all service-connected.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, claimed as secondary to spontaneous pneumothorax, has been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine is currently rated at 40 percent, but his left lower extremity radiculopathy with sciatic nerve disability warrants a separate 20 percent evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for a spine disability, right foot hallux valgus, bilateral breast reduction, or chronic headaches. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disability is denied as there is no current diagnosis and it is less likely than not caused by service. Service connection for sleep apnea, left knee, and right knee disabilities cannot be established due to lack of evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for depression and sleep apnea, finding that the evidence supports these claims. The Veteran's psychiatric symptoms are related to his military service, and his sleep disorder is linked to his service-connected sinusitis.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations for asthma with obstructive sleep apnea and a lumbar muscle strain, as well as his claim for service connection for a right knee disability, have been withdrawn. The Board has dismissed these issues.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a new medical opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD permanently aggravated his nonservice-connected sleep apnea.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, the maximum schedular rating for severe lumbosacral strain with limited motion. The claim for a higher initial rating was denied.

The claims of service connection for major depressive disorder, residuals of a nasal fracture with a deviated septum, and a disability manifested by breathing difficulty to include sleep apnea are being remanded due to the need for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities. The claim for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance for his spouse was also denied.