Sleep apnea decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is proximately due to his service-connected disabilities, specifically TBI with primary insomnia and a deviated nasal septum. As such, the claim for secondary service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted.

The Veteran's right hip disability is rated at 20 percent, and the claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hemorrhoids, and COPD were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of sleep apnea is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for a VA examination and remanded the case for compliance with previous directives.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for chronic lumbosacral strain was denied. The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s range of motion did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation, and his symptoms were adequately addressed by the current 10 percent rating.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction and upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing Social Security Administration records and a need for a VA examination regarding the Veteran's sleep disorder. The issues of service connection for various disabilities remain under review.

The Board has determined that a VA examination and medical opinion are needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, as well as whether his service-connected right hip disorder may have aggravated or caused his current condition. The appeal is being remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection have been denied. The Board found no evidence to support the claimed conditions or their relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for her service-connected right knee degenerative joint disease, lumbosacral spine disability, and headaches are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain, disc disease, and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine are currently rated at 20 percent. The right middle finger disability is also rated at its maximum allowable rating for ankylosis or limitation of motion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for depression, lumbar spine, and right knee. The issues of service connection for a left knee disorder, right hip disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension were also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and sleep apnea have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, or any link to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder was not incurred or aggravated by service and denied his claims for service connection. The appeals for basic eligibility for specially adaptive housing and special home adaptation grant were also denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus, rosacea, and malignant melanoma are all found to be related to service. The skin disability is presumed due to herbicide exposure in the Gulf War era.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic lumbosacral strain with slight degenerative disc disease is not rated higher than the assigned initial ratings of 10 percent prior to September 17, 2013, and 20 percent thereafter.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension with a 10 percent disability rating and an effective date of February 6, 2009. The Veteran's claim for earlier effective dates is addressed in the remand portion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea was denied as there is no medical evidence showing a link between the condition and his military service or any service-connected disabilities.,For the period prior to April 23, 2014, the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis. The current disability does not result in severe impairment.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The claim for increased rating of lumbar spine disability was also denied.