Sleep apnea decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) had its onset during service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for OSA is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability, PTSD, and sleep apnea are all service-connected. The decision is based on credible medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea and low back disability, finding that there was no current diagnosis of either condition related to active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected pulmonary sarcoidosis. The issues of entitlement to an increased rating for right knee disability and a diagnosis of PTSD are also remanded.

The Board has reopened the claims for bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disability, erectile dysfunction, skin condition as due to undiagnosed illness, obstructive sleep apnea, left foot hallux valgus, right foot hallux valgus, low back condition, hypertension, and right shoulder condition.,However, some of these issues have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for deep vein thrombosis, right hip and knee conditions, and a reduction in the rating of his lumbar spine disability have been granted. The right knee condition is now considered secondary to his service-connected left knee and back disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to service. The appeals for increased ratings for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type II were also denied as there was no evidence showing that these conditions required regulation of activities.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, sciatica, and a chronic sinus disorder due to new evidence provided by a private physician. The appeals are granted in these matters.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is not attributable to his active military service and was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability, including diabetes mellitus and PTSD. Therefore, service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection of his hip conditions and sleep apnea were denied as they are secondary to other service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and development of the claims due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's dysthymia with depression, bilateral hearing loss disability, and sleep apnea are all found to be related to his service-connected left shoulder condition. The Veteran is granted increased ratings for his distal clavicle resection of the left shoulder.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted an initial rating of 30 percent prior to June 5, 2017. A 100 percent rating for PTSD was awarded from June 5, 2017.,Service connection for right and left knee meniscal tears, hypertension, sleep apnea, a back disorder, and a left hip disorder were denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his sleep apnea and left knee disability, including as secondary to a right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations, particularly regarding his obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea should be remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of his medical evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining records of the Veteran's exposure to depleted uranium ammunition and a VA medical opinion regarding whether his liposarcoma is related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused or made worse by his service-connected TBI residuals. The case will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea was not incurred during service and denied his claim for service connection.