Sleep apnea decisions — 2016

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

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an examination to determine if the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service or a service-connected disability, including aggravation by medications prescribed for service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to a scheduling issue for a Travel Board hearing, and no other decisions have been made regarding service connection claims.

The Board found that the appellant's sleep disorder was not caused by or related to his military service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his in-service exposure to ionizing radiation. The medical evidence does not support a connection between the disabilities and service.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, bilateral hearing loss, and PTSD. The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% since December 10, 2015, with a prior rating of 30% before that date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to assess the functional effects of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been received for bilateral hearing loss, and additional development is needed for other issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, Type II, a lumbar spine disability, an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as depression), sleep apnea, and gastrointestinal reflux disorder (GERD).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar disorder, including lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease of L5, is being remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion from the VA examiner regarding the etiology of his current lumbar disability.

The Veteran is granted a higher rating of 60 percent for his service-connected spontaneous L1 fusion across the anterior vertebral services beneath the anterior longitudinal and the ligament, with arthritis of lumbosacral spine. The Board finds that he meets the criteria for an increased evaluation based on incapacitating episodes with a total duration of at least 6 weeks during the past 12 months.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, and therefore, his claims for service connection are denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's sinusitis, hypertension, sleep apnea, and transient ischemic attacks with strokes are not attributable to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea due to a need for additional development, including obtaining VA examinations.

The Board has determined that service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea is granted, and the request to reopen a claim for service connection for Diabetes Mellitus, Type II (DM) is also granted. The decision on whether DM was present during service or secondary to hypertension remains pending.

The Veteran's service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea is granted. The appeal of the issue of service connection for a left ankle disability is dismissed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right shoulder disability and back condition. The decision also addressed his claim for tinnitus, lung condition, and sleep apnea, but did not specify whether these were granted or denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee chondromalacia, left knee chondromalacia, and lumbosacral strain were denied as the evidence did not show that any of these conditions warranted a rating in excess of their current assigned percentages.,VA examinations consistently showed that the Veteran’s range of motion was within normal limits for his service-connected right and left knees, with no instability or subluxation noted. His lumbosacral strain also met criteria for a 20 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbosacral strain is at least as likely as not a natural progression of the lumbar strain noted in service, and thus granted service connection for this condition. The issue of gastroesophageal reflux disease remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple issues, including cancer of the left pharyngeal tonsil, ischemic heart disease, bilateral swelling of the feet, headaches, PTSD, fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal disability to include acid reflux, sleeping disorders to include sleep apnea, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, skin disorder (chloracne), bleeding from the nose and mouth, tinnitus, an upper back and/or neck disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The decision does not specify a rating assigned or effective date.