Sleep apnea decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and service connection have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the appeal by his representative.,The Veteran’s claims for TBI, left thumb, ring, and little finger disabilities, lumbosacral spine disability, migraines associated with TBI, residual scars from TBI, bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and service connection for residuals of left ulnar nerve transposition in the left arm are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is remanded due to the need for further examination.,Service connection has been granted for tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of March 20, 2009 for the award of service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disability due to insufficient evidence in their respective examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral cataracts, sleep apnea, and Bell’s Palsy secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The remaining issues are remanded for further development.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims of entitlement to a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea need further examination and evaluation. The Veteran will be provided with new VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not related to his service and cannot be considered secondary to any of his service-connected conditions. As a result, the claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied.

The Veteran's hypothyroidism, left ankle sprain, and chronic lumbosacral strain have been rated as 60 percent disabling. The Board has granted a disability rating of 60 percent for the entire appeal period.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for a right knee disorder, and entitlement to increased ratings for DDD of the lumbosacral spine and GERD.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not service-connected prior to September 23, 2013.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability during service and concluding that it is less likely than not related to service.

The Veteran's claim for an annual clothing allowance is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the impact of her service-connected conditions on her clothing. The AOJ must gather more information and provide a certification as to whether her use of braces causes wear and tear on her clothes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence or procedural issues. The hearing loss and dermatitis cases are still under review, as is the right knee disorder, asbestosis, sleep apnea, and lumbar spine disorder.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including a new VA examination for the kidney disorder and additional examinations for other service-connected conditions. The Veteran's claims of increased ratings are also being considered.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, right knee condition, hypertension, and heart condition (coronary artery disease) as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before a decision on the merits may be made regarding the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for service-connected lumbosacral spondylolisthesis with sciatic nerve involvement and IVDS, and service-connected sciatica. The Veteran was last provided a VA examination relating to his conditions in July 2015, over three years ago. A new VA examination is required so that the current nature and severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities may be determined.

The Veteran's service connection for sleep apnea is granted. The earlier effective date claim for adjustment disorder with depressive mood, as well as the initial rating and TDIU claims, are denied.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran's representative indicating withdrawal of all current appeals.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, as secondary to service-connected disabilities, needs further review and additional evidence is required.