Sleep apnea decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are not fully developed and requires additional development, including verification of in-service stressors, VA examinations to address psychiatric disorders, sleep apnea, and chronic dyspnea, and procurement of relevant medical records.

The Veteran's bladder condition is found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. However, the Veteran's sleep apnea is not considered to be related to or caused by his military service.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is reasonably shown to have been incurred during service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea is granted as the evidence supports that his current condition resulted from disease or injury incurred in active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral leg disability, right arm disability, hyperpigmented area of skin on right hand, and lumbosacral strain were not incurred in or due to his active service.

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including their relationship to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability did not exist prior to his military service and was not aggravated by such service. As a result, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, is being remanded due to inadequate examination and opinion. The examiner did not consider all relevant evidence of record, including the Veteran's and his wife's statements about snoring in service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for sleep apnea due to new and material evidence. However, the preponderance of the evidence is against finding that any of the claimed conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD rating was reduced from 100% to 70%, effective February 1, 2011. The RO found that there was improvement in his PTSD symptoms but did not establish it as permanent.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle and right knee disorders in February 2007. The Veteran's claims of reopening these issues are still pending.,The Veteran has not submitted new and material evidence to reopen his claim of service connection for a lumbosacral spine disorder, psychiatric disability including PTSD, or tinea cruris.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, as well as whether his service-connected conditions caused or aggravated this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea with chronic fatigue, chronic rash of the left forearm, tension headaches, and gastrointestinal disability are related to his service in the Southwest Asia Theater of operations during the Gulf War.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (mood disorder) and sleep apnea, both of which are found to be related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease since August 24, 2011. The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity is rated as 20 percent disabling since May 13, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's diagnosis of sleep apnea is present during active service and resolving reasonable doubt in his favor. The issue of gastroesophageal reflux disease remains pending as there was no statement of the case issued.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to his failure to report to scheduled VA examinations. The case will be further developed and readjudicated.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all issues before the Board.