Sleep apnea decisions — 2016

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

The Board has granted service connection for chronic pancreatitis, finding that it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome in the cervical spine. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea remains pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is not causally or etiologically related to his service-connected disabilities, and thus denied his claim for secondary service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records, providing examinations to assess his acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, and bronchial asthma, and issuing a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the underlying claim of service connection for a lumbosacral spine disability can be adjudicated on the merits.

The Veteran's PFB warrants a 60 percent initial rating based on constant or near-constant systemic therapy. The other claims are either denied or not addressed in the decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, sleep apnea, and hypertension have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the previously denied claim of tinnitus. The issues of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension are remanded.

The Board found that the Veteran's current back disability is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection. For ischemic heart disease, the Board determined that a rating in excess of 30 percent was not warranted prior to June 21, 2012, but from June 21, 2012 through July 24, 2015, the disability more nearly approximated a workload of greater than 5 METs with left ventricular ejection fraction between 60 and 65 percent. Beginning July 25, 2015, the rating was not in excess of 30 percent.

The Board is remanding the case for an addendum VA medical opinion to address whether the Veteran's ALL was secondary to his 1979 radiation therapy for leiomyosarcoma of the retroperitoneal area.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the inextricability of this issue with other claims, including those for service connection and a disability rating. Additional information regarding employment status and Vet Center records are needed.

The Veteran's OSA is related to his active service, and the Board has granted entitlement to service connection for this condition. The Veteran's hypertension is also found to be secondary to his service-connected OSA.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service or a service-connected condition.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD was denied as the criteria are not met.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition, sleep apnea, headaches, and TMJ. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found to have started during service and has been continuous since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the Veteran's service connection claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine is being remanded due to a need for an orthopedic examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for cervical spine, lumbosacral spine, bilateral shoulder, upper extremity neurological disabilities (neuropathy), and lower extremity neurological disabilities have been denied as there is no evidence of chronic disability during or within one year after service separation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, specifically his in-service symptoms and their relation to current condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left shoulder bursitis and arthritis, chronic lumbosacral strain, and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.