Sleep apnea decisions — 2016

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was not granted any new or additional benefits.

The Board has granted the Veteran's service connection claims for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension, finding that these conditions are caused by his service-connected PTSD. The increased rating claim for PTSD is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a VA medical opinion to clarify whether his sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is 50%, which does not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU. However, he may be unemployable due to nonservice-connected conditions (tremors, anxiety, psychotic disorder, major depressive disorder, cardiac conditions). The Board finds that this unemployability is not related to his service-connected disabilities and thus denies the claim.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. No rating decision was made as the issue of an initial compensable rating for obstructive sleep apnea is moot.

Service connection for sleep apnea and arthritis of the thumbs and all fingers of both hands has been granted.,The Veteran's current conditions are found to be directly related to his active service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increases in the staged ratings assigned for tinea versicolor, lumbosacral strain, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disabilities, degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, and an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD and MDD) were denied as there was no evidence to support service connection. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosed condition in service or during the appeal period.

The Board found that the Veteran's current sleep apnea was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service from September 2007 to September 2008. The examiner opined that the condition is less likely than not related to any incident of his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to scheduling issues and will handle any further development as required.

The Veteran's appeals of the claims of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and diabetes, and the claim of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for pseudofolliculitis barbae have been dismissed. The appeal of the claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss disability is also dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his period of service and granted service connection for this condition. The claim for type II diabetes mellitus remains pending as a VA examination was not conducted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder, including as due to an undiagnosed illness, is denied because there is no evidence that the condition was caused by or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the diagnosis and relationship of his condition to service. Additional development, including a VA examination, is needed.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is found to be related to his service. The Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea and whether his service-connected disabilities aggravate it. The case will be returned for further review.

The Veteran's current lumbar spine disability, including degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, and lumbosacral strain, is considered to have started during his service. The Board has granted service connection for this condition on the basis of direct incurrence in service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any sleep apnea. The Veteran's service connection claim will be reviewed after these actions.