Sleep apnea decisions — 2018

The Board has decided to remand three issues: service connection for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for sleep apnea, and a compensable initial rating for the Veteran's eye disabilities. These cases require further examination and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea but remanded the issue of service connection for hypertension due to lack of medical opinion on whether it was incurred during ACDUTRA or secondary to obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a heart murmur and remanded it for further examination. The appeal for service connection of OSA is also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea, including as secondary to PTSD. The case is being sent back for a VA examination to determine if the sleep apnea is related to his active duty service or any service-connected conditions, and whether it is caused by medications used to treat other conditions.

The Board dismissed all issues due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was granted service connection as it is considered to have started during his military service and there is no evidence that the condition began after service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for dysthymia has been reopened and granted. The appeals for the other conditions are still pending.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is remanded for additional development, including obtaining his service treatment records from July 2009 to September 2010 and an addendum opinion regarding whether the preexisting condition was aggravated by his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to the need for new examinations to assess his current disability levels.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to conflicting evidence regarding their onset.,Service connection is not granted for any of these conditions as there is insufficient evidence linking them to active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, lumbar degenerative disc disease/arthritis, major depression, lumbar radiculopathy, plantar fasciitis (left foot), and right shoulder osteoarthritis. As a result, the claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluations of his right and left knee sprains are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding VA treatment records and the need for additional examinations. The issues include vertigo, dyspnea, erectile dysfunction, fibromyalgia, GERD, hypertension, neuralgia of upper extremities, prostatitis, sleep apnea disorder, and otitis externa.

The Board granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the left hand, osteoarthritis of the right hand, and hypertension. Service connection was denied for a cervical spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and determining the exact dates of his active duty. The claims for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right foot metatarsalgia, cervical spine disability, chronic myositis of the paracervical spine muscles, left shoulder disability, left arm disability, lumbar spine disability, chronic myositis of the paralumbar spine muscles, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are remanded. The claim for acquired psychiatric disability (to include PTSD) is also remanded.

The Veteran's motion for CUE review of a 1987 Board decision is dismissed as the motion has been withdrawn.

The Board found that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was not incurred in service and denied his claim for service connection. The remaining issues of right foot plantar fasciitis, pes cavus, and hallux valgus are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea. The cases of bilateral ankle disabilities, heart disability, left testicular disability, and bilateral eye condition are remanded due to the need for further examination.

The claim for service connection for retinitis pigmentosa has been reopened due to new and material evidence. However, the Veteran is not entitled to service connection as his condition was hereditary in origin and did not manifest during or worsen during service.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic headaches and major depressive disorder. The remaining issues have been remanded due to the need for further medical examination and evaluation.