Sleep apnea decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for both knee osteoarthritis and obstructive sleep apnea are inadequate, and thus remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her lumbosacral strain is remanded due to the need for an examination to assess the current severity of her disability and whether any objective neurologic abnormalities are present.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for GERD and OSA has been reopened, and both conditions have been granted. The right quadriceps tear evaluation remains at 10%.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection for sleep apnea and TDIU. The rating for major depressive disorder remains under review.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including PTSD, knee disorders, erectile dysfunction, and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his disability.

The Board dismissed the claim of service connection for right hand injury due to the Veteran's withdrawal request. The issues of increase rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease and compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for impaired fasting glucose was denied as it is not a disability for VA compensation purposes.,PTSD service connection was granted with an effective date of December 29, 2016. An earlier effective date prior to this date was denied.,An initial PTSD rating in excess of 10 percent was denied.,Bilateral pes planus service connection was granted with an effective date of April 29, 2011. An earlier effective date prior to this date was denied.,Service connection for a skin disability was denied.,Allergic rhinitis was granted as related to the Veteran's active service.,The claims for cervical spine and sinus disabilities were reopened.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of sleep apnea and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome for further development. The Veteran's service connection claims are being reviewed due to insufficient information in the VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of VA examination records and the need for further development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling an appropriate VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including cervical spine condition, lumbosacral strain, cervical spondylosis with herniated discs, left arm radiculopathy, bursitis of the left knee, and headaches, prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to May 30, 2006.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral shoulder disabilities, bilateral knee disabilities, loss of vision, bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction due to service connection. The issues are related to whether these conditions began during or were caused by periods of active military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence for the service connection of sleep apnea and increased rating for allergic rhinitis with recurrent sinusitis. The GERD case remains denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding the rating of his lumbosacral strain and total knee replacement.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for left hernia repair is dismissed. The Board has granted TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The appeals for increased ratings for lumbosacral spine, right knee, and left knee conditions are remanded.

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

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence showing the condition was caused by or related to military service.,The Board also denied service connection for sleep apnea, concluding that there was not clear and unmistakable evidence of pre-existing sleep apnea prior to service.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, including as due to exposure to herbicide agents and as secondary to service-connected PTSD. The Veteran must be afforded a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his sleep apnea.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various psychiatric and physical disabilities, including right shoulder pain, back pain, neck pain, left knee pain, right knee pain, sleep apnea, hepatitis C, kidney or renal failure, prostate cancer, and unspecified depressive disorder. The reasons provided include lack of in-service evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent effective August 17, 2017. TDIU benefits are granted.