Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Board vacated the June 2019 decision and granted service connection for hypertension. The effective dates for other conditions were denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for groin pain has been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea did not begin during service and is not related to any in-service injury or disease. Therefore, the claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations. The issues include obstructive sleep apnea, low back disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, and neck disability.

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea is deficient and remanded for further development, including obtaining a new VA examination to address whether his sleep apnea had its onset during service or is otherwise related to it, and if so, whether it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected depressive disorder with anxious distress.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is granted service connection, but his left and right knee strains and psychiatric disability to include PTSD and MDD are denied. The case for seizures is remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his in-service injury and resulting deviated nasal septum.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for further development and examination due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current sleep disorder, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is related to his active service or secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The examiner must also consider whether the OSA was caused by or permanently worsened by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a thoracic spine disability and an evaluation in excess of 10 percent disabling for her chronic lumbosacral strain, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran needs VA examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities, including right and left knee conditions, sleep apnea, blocked carotid arteries, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims are being remanded for these examinations.

The Veteran's low back disability, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and left wrist disability are granted as service connected.,The Veteran's right wrist disability is granted as service connected.,The Veteran's traumatic brain injury (TBI) is granted as service connected.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as service connected.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and GERD was denied.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for PTSD, headaches, and left upper extremity radiculopathy (claimed as left shoulder) have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been remanded.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant requested to withdraw his appeal.

The Veteran's rhabdomyosarcoma and ischemic heart disease are granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicides in Thailand.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU effective February 1, 2009 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of lumbosacral injury/spasms due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea began during service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease, prior to April 24, 2019, is rated at 30 percent and denied a higher rating.,Squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer) was not manifested during service or within one year of service, and the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that the Veteran's skin cancer is related to an event, injury, or disease in service, to include as due to his presumed herbicide exposure in service.,The Veteran’s sleep apnea is not etiologically related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and dismissed the claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea. The case is remanded for rating the now service-connected bilateral (left and right ear) hearing loss.