Sleep apnea decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a supplemental medical opinion to address the relationship between his service-connected conditions and the claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his current condition.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions were denied as they did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to Persian Gulf War exposure or other qualifying chronic disability.

The Veteran's skin disorder, diagnosed as acne rosacea, had its onset in service and the Board finds that service connection is warranted.

The Board finds that the Veteran's sleep apnea is etiologically related to his active duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection and TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection or entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and left knee disorder. Service connection was denied for urinary leakage due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and VA medical records. The issues of service connection for psychiatric disorders (including PTSD) and sleep apnea are also being addressed.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to lack of recent medical records and examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic diarrhea, finding that it is at least as likely as not incurred in or caused by the claimed in-service injury. Service connection was denied for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and thrombocytosis.

The Board denied service connection for pulmonary vascular disease with embolism and granted an effective date of April 19, 2010 for sleep apnea. The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for sleep apnea was also denied.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, headaches, and erectile dysfunction were found to be related to his military service. The Board granted the Veteran's claims for these conditions.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the claims for service connection and rating for obstructive sleep apnea, traumatic brain injury, migraine headaches, left ear hearing loss, and right ear hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea and bilateral hearing loss. The decision on sleep apnea was final, as it had been previously denied in 2004 with no new material evidence submitted to reopen the claim. For bilateral hearing loss, the Board found that the condition is attributable to his active military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's back disability is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not support a higher rating based on current functional impairment.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and addressing the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral pes planus, left foot tendonitis, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's panic disorder is rated at 70 percent from April 19, 2011 to March 5, 2012. The rating for lumbosacral strain remains at 40 percent. The ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy remain at 10 percent each. The Veteran is granted TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including to verify in-service exposure to asbestos and/or chemical and environmental hazards, conduct a VA examination, and consider the Veteran's contentions regarding his sleep apnea.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for increased ratings on all three issues during the November 2017 Board hearing.