Sleep apnea decisions — 2018

The Board found that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was not related to his service or secondary to his diabetes mellitus.,There is no evidence of a current disability for kidney cancer, and the Veteran did not provide any credible evidence linking it to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea was previously denied, but new and material evidence has been received. The Board found that the Veteran's narcolepsy is not manifested by at least one major seizure in two years or at least two minor seizures in six months prior to September 24, 2014, and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for sleep apnea, including as due to exposure to Agent Orange. The claim is now reviewed on its merits.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for rosacea with actinic keratosis was withdrawn. The Board has granted service connection for a heart disorder, finding that the condition is at least as likely as not incurred during active duty.

The Veteran seeks service connection for sleep apnea, which he contends is related to his service-connected nasal fracture. The case will be remanded to obtain an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran's current sleep apnea is related to his complaints of difficulty breathing while sleeping and snoring since his in-service nasal fracture.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is the result of service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbosacral strain with multilevel degenerative disc disease with compression fracture L-1 is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and evaluation of his disability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there is at least equipoise evidence to support a relationship between his active duty service and his current sleep apnea.

The appellant's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from July 24, 2012, to June 30, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), allergic rhinitis, obstructive sleep apnea, sinus tachycardia, and pes planus. The decision found that there was no current diagnosis of a heart disability and concluded that the Veteran's sinus tachycardia is not a disability.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle disability, bilateral foot disability, and sleep apnea are related to his military service.

The Veteran's currently diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea is related to symptoms he experienced during service, including cessation of breathing, snoring, fatigue, and headaches. The Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension, finding that the Veteran's current conditions did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected lumbar sprain and right knee patellar tendonitis, as well as a determination on whether he has sleep apnea that may be related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea did not have an onset during active service and is not otherwise related to active service or caused by his service-connected rhinitis. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and is not secondary to a service-connected disability. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting a VA examination. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered after this additional development.