Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of sleep apnea due to incomplete medical records and a need for further examination.

The Veteran's service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea is granted. The Board also remanded the cases of his cervical spine and left upper extremity radiculopathy disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability and obstructive sleep apnea need to be remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors regarding the causes or aggravations of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease, finding that the current conditions are not related to active service. Service connection was also denied for right foot drop due to lack of evidence linking it to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in the loss or loss of use of a hand or foot, permanent vision impairment of both eyes, severe burn injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ankylosis of a knee or hip. Therefore, he is not eligible for financial assistance for an automobile and adaptive equipment.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including a bilateral foot disability, a bilateral eye disorder, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and gastrointestinal disorders. The Veteran's service records indicate possible exposure to herbicide agents during his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection for sleep apnea and traumatic brain injury, resulting in their dismissal.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder arthritis, fibromyalgia, and obstructive sleep apnea. The decision is based on direct evidence of a relationship to service.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between the condition and active service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's headache disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.,Service connection for tinnitus was granted, effective January 27, 2015. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to this date is denied.,New evidence has been received supporting the Veteran's claim of a psychiatric disorder secondary to TMJ (claimed as injury to mouth and face). Service connection for this condition is remanded.,Service connection for left knee, right knee, and sleep disorders are all remanded due to lack of medical records or incomplete information.,reasoning_1_sentence_on_deciding_factor_summary_of_case_1st_issue

Service connection has been granted for depression, headaches, and obstructive sleep apnea. An effective date prior to December 22, 2014 for service connection of right ear hearing loss and tinnitus is denied.,A 10% evaluation for mechanical lower back pain was granted with an effective date of February 6, 2014. Claims for earlier effective dates were dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, right hand tremor, and left hand tremor. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not shown to be related to his military service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for financial assistance for an automobile and adaptive equipment, or adaptive equipment only.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for fatty liver with elevated liver enzymes, traumatic brain injury (TBI), left ankle disability, right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain and fractured right ankle, and obstructive sleep apnea have been denied. The effective date for the 50% rating for PTSD has also been denied.

The Veteran's current spine symptoms are more likely due to a non-service connected injury (gunshot wound) and not his service-connected lumbosacral sprain, thus denying a compensable rating for the condition.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, hypertension, residuals of stroke (secondary to PTSD), and headaches. Additional records from SSA are needed, as well as new VA examinations for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD is granted, with an effective date of June 22, 2015.,Service connection for a headache condition as secondary to service-connected PTSD is granted.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbosacral spine, finding that the current disability picture does not warrant an increased rating.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating and earlier effective date for obstructive sleep apnea was denied. The Veteran's respiratory conditions were merged into one disability rating of 100 percent as of June 1, 2016.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is at least as likely as not incurred in or caused by active service.