Sleep apnea decisions — 2018

The Veteran's neck and back conditions are remanded for further examination to determine if they were caused or aggravated by his periods of active duty, inactive duty training, or pre-existing scoliosis. His hearing loss is also remanded for a new VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is not related to his service-connected PTSD and prostate cancer. The evidence did not support a secondary or aggravation relationship.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea may be related to his military service and is not due to his service-connected bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax. The case is being sent back for further development.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a lumbar spine disability was granted. The other claims of service connection were remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his active duty service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for gastrointestinal disorder, vertigo, and sleep apnea have been denied. The claim for increased rating of anal fissures has resulted in a grant of a higher initial disability rating to 30 percent. The claim for an increase in the initial rating for migraine headaches remains denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was first manifested during his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral foot condition, including epidermolysis bullosa Weber-Cockayne variant and foot fungus, is granted as service connected. Service connection for a traumatic brain injury and headache condition are denied.

Service connection is granted for a sleep disorder, diagnosed as sleep apnea. The issue of service connection for insomnia remains pending and will be remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of sleep apnea is related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service treatment records and the need for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there is no medical evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's condition did not begin during her military service and there is no evidence of continuity of symptoms. The Board also found that the Veteran's sleep apnea was not caused or aggravated by any in-service exposure to environmental hazards.

The Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea is not caused or aggravated by an event, injury, or disease in active service. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity and lumbosacral spine disability, finding no current disability due to active service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has granted a waiver of recovery for the overpayment of VA pension benefits in the amount of $12,437.00 due to fault on the part of VA and undue financial hardship.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection of a sleep disorder, to include obstructive sleep apnea. The initial disability rating for lumbar strain was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating prior to June 25, 2014 and granted at 10 percent thereafter. A compensable disability rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae of the face was also denied. The Veteran's PTSD with depression received an initial disability rating of 50 percent but no higher.

The Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea was denied as the evidence did not show that his sleep issues began in service or were related to his military service.,For the right finger disability, a compensable rating prior to February 9, 2017 and a higher than 10 percent rating from February 9, 2017 onward was denied as there was no evidence of additional limitation of motion after repetitive use testing or significant functional impairment.,The Veteran's headaches were found to have characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in two months over the last two months, qualifying for a 10 percent rating effective February 9, 2017.

The Veteran's eye disorder results in bilateral concentric contraction of visual fields with remaining fields of 28 and 30 degrees, without evidence of incapacitating episodes or visual acuity worse than 20/40. A 50 percent rating for the service-connected eye disorder is granted.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for sleep apnea, migraine headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension. The left inguinal hernia claim is also remanded.