Sleep apnea decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need to obtain his service treatment records from Afghanistan and provide him with a VA examination regarding his claimed disabilities, including back pain, shortness of breath, fatigue/sleep disorder, chest pain, hypertension, heartburn, low testosterone, skin rashes, migraines/nausea/vertigo, and memory loss. The examiner must consider the Veteran's exposure to burn pits in Afghanistan.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability, hypertension, sleep apnea, and fibromyalgia have been denied as there is no evidence of a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea may be related to his service-connected mitral valve replacement with residual scar, and an additional VA examination is needed to determine if separate compensable ratings for residuals such as neuralgia of the cranial nerve are warranted. The initial rating for mitral valve replacement with residual scar also requires further evaluation.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including right and left shoulder disabilities, right and left hip disabilities, and obstructive sleep apnea. The claims are being remanded to allow for further examination and medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for higher ratings for degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder, DDD of the cervical spine with spasms, and DDD of the lumbosacral spine due to a lack of detailed range of motion findings and functional loss.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea and his increased evaluation for somatic symptoms disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings of left hallux valgus, right foot scar, and left foot scar were dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right leg disorder was denied because there is no evidence of an additional chronic disability to the right leg other than those already attributed to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea is rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as his predominant disability is asthma. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to chronic respiratory failure or tracheotomy.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent effective March 14, 2018. The Board found that a higher rating was not warranted prior to this date.

The appeal is dismissed due to the Veteran's death, and no service connection decisions are made as a result.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions addressing his claimed conditions and their relationship to service, particularly regarding exposure to anthrax shots.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder, a low back disorder, and a bilateral hip disorder. The Veteran did not provide evidence of current disabilities or in-service injuries or diseases that would support these claims.,There is no medical evidence linking any of the claimed conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, as a result of exposure to herbicides. The effective date is July 7, 2016.,Service connection was denied for neck disorder, low back disorder, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, hernia, thyroid disorder, and headaches.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, but denied claims for fibromyalgia, multiple joint and muscle pain, respiratory disorder, a scar over the left eye, skin disability, and hemorrhoids. The grant of service connection is based on secondary service connection due to pre-existing disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea and remanded the issue of whether her sinusitis was aggravated by her service-connected rhinitis. The case is being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development.

The Veteran's claim for hypertension was reopened and granted. The claims for sleep apnea, right hip arthritis (limitation of flexion), and major depressive disorder were denied. Right hip arthritis remains rated at 10 percent.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claims for asthma, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus and sleep apnea. The claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied as there is no evidence linking current diagnoses to in-service events or occurrences.

The Veteran's persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress is rated at 70 percent since January 4, 2016.,Service connection for sleep apnea and migraine headaches was denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient rationale in the VA examiner's opinion regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea. The examiner needs to provide a more comprehensive and reasoned opinion.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various conditions, including glaucoma, chronic fatigue syndrome, muscle pain and weakness, joint pain and weakness, sleep apnea, cholecystectomy, colitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and migraines. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed due to the lack of a current diagnosis or during the pendency of the appeal.