Sleep apnea decisions — 2017

The Veteran's anemia is rated at 30 percent, and her migraine headaches are granted on a secondary basis to her service-connected menorrhagia. The Veteran's hearing loss and diplopia were not addressed in the decision.

The Veteran seeks service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy. The Board finds that remand is necessary to obtain a VA examination, as well as updated VA treatment records.

The Veteran's coronary condition was rated at 60 percent disabling prior to July 28, 2006 and from October 28, 2006. The Board found that the Veteran's COPD, sleep disorder (OSA), and tension headaches were not classified as medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities from February 27, 2014, forward. The TDIU was not granted for the period from July 2, 2010 to February 27, 2014 as the threshold percentage requirements were not met.

PTSD was initially rated at 50% from July 21, 2011 to August 30, 2012. It was then increased to 70% effective August 30, 2012 and further increased to 100% effective November 4, 2015.,Bulimia Nervosa was initially rated at 70% from August 30, 2012. It remained at this rating until the Veteran's PTSD was also rated at 100%.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, sleep apnea, and coronary artery disease. The VA examiners concluded that these conditions were not related to his service-connected disabilities or incurred in service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of her claimed conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for back condition and granted it. The decision also grants service connection for sleep apnea, with a compensable rating of 10 percent for residual scar on his left ring finger.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability is service connected, but his heart condition, hypertension, and OSA are not service connected as they did not develop during active duty.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a noncompensable initial rating for tension headaches prior to June 18, 2015. He was subsequently awarded a 50 percent rating thereafter.,Service connection is also granted for left knee disability, but the evidence does not show any current disability of the left knee.

The Board has found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of degenerative disc disease (DDD) is related to an in-service injury, and thus service connection for DDD is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current disabilities and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction, finding that these conditions were not shown during his active duty service or etiologically related to any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 70% rating effective April 29, 2013. The appeal for increased rating of PTSD remains in appellate status as the issue of service connection for sleep apnea was denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected knee and back conditions, as well as hypertension, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise and resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, finding that his sleep apnea had its onset during active service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease (DDD) was granted. The separate ratings for LLE and RLE radiculopathy of the sciatic and femoral nerves were also granted, effective April 22, 2014.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbosacral spine and right knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient examination reports and missing medical records.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations conducted in connection with these claims are inadequate and requires further examination to determine if service connection for anemia and obstructive sleep apnea is warranted.