Sleep apnea decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for asthma and sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions regarding her exposure during active duty training. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional private treatment records and refer the case to a VA examiner for an opinion on whether the conditions are related to her ACDUTRA service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea due to new and material evidence, but the issue is remanded for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his military service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's left knee disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The claim for hypertension was denied due to lack of new and material evidence, while the claims for sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities were dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused by weight gain from prescribed medications for his service-connected depressive disorder, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious, schizotypal and paranoid features is granted. The Board finds that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran has this condition and whether it was incurred during his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran’s claimed conditions, including sleep apnea, heart disability, hypertension, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, and Parkinson's disease, all of which were presumed to be due to Agent Orange exposure. The Board found that there was no credible evidence supporting the Veteran's claims of in-service exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine, lumbosacral spine, left hip, and right knee disabilities due to incomplete service treatment records. The VA is instructed to obtain any outstanding records and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his current disabilities.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea may be related to service, but needs further examination and opinion to determine this definitively.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and a headache disorder, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a relationship between these conditions and active duty service.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus and remanded issues regarding obstructive sleep apnea, left knee sprain with patellofemoral syndrome, non-displaced patella fracture, and medial meniscal tear. The Veteran's claims are being returned to the RO/AMC for additional development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate examinations and conflicting medical opinions. The issues include labyrinthitis with vestibular dysfunction, lumbar strain with sacroiliac pain, right leg arterial insufficiency secondary to diabetes mellitus, hypertension secondary to diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea secondary to diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction secondary to diabetes mellitus, and diabetic retinopathy secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable prior to December 7, 2011. The Board is remanding the case for referral to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration of entitlement to a TDIU under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b) prior to December 7, 2011.

The Board has denied service connection for peripheral artery disease, autonomic neuropathy, left shoulder traumatic arthritis, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bilateral restless leg syndrome, and renal disorder. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Board granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, but dismissed his appeal regarding chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Board has remanded the cases of hearing loss, sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux, lower back disorder, and pain down the legs for further examination to determine their etiology. The Veteran's service connection claims are otherwise denied.

The Board has dismissed all issues related to rating and initial ratings for various conditions as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Veteran's OSA and hypertension are granted service connection. The Veteran's sinusitis is denied as not related to service, but his PFB and right thumb numbness are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain and right leg sciatica are granted with ratings of 20% each, effective from the date of the decision. The claims for bilateral knee disability, right shoulder disability, head injury, and bilateral elbow disability are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hip disorder, sleep apnea, and hypertension due to insufficient medical records and examinations.