Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to service or secondary to his PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The herniorrhaphy scar remains at a noncompensable rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, OSA, knee and ankle disabilities, lumbar spine disability, and right side numbness. The Veteran's service records do not show a current hearing loss disability or any of these other conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 20 percent prior to September 5, 2014 for lumbosacral strain was granted. The claim for a higher rating from September 5, 2014 onwards was denied.

The Veteran's service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and headache disability is granted. The Veteran's claim for increased evaluation of tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating has been assigned. The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues for further examination and review, including service connection claims for various conditions and a higher disability rating for left knee strain.

Major depressive disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension and migraine headaches have been granted service connection.,An increased rating greater than 10 percent for tinnitus is denied. An effective date prior to September 8, 2013 for service connection for tinnitus is also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of relevant service treatment records, which could provide information about whether the Veteran's sleep apnea disability was caused by his military service. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his military service and if it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing impairment with vertigo due to Usher Syndrome, retinitis pigmentosa, and SMC based on loss of use of vision and hearing is granted. The effective dates are May 28, 2003, September 6, 2006, and May 28, 2003 respectively.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted. Service connection for left ear hearing loss, upper respiratory disability including sleep apnea, and hypertension are remanded.,Service connection for hepatitis A and B is denied.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current sleep apnea had its inception during his active service, and thus grants service connection for sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if his military duties and symptoms during service are related to his current condition.

The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis and sleep apnea are both found to have had their onset during his active service, leading to the grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective date for PTSD and depressive disorder, and a higher rating for PTSD.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD is denied as there was no prior communication before April 12, 2016.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's skin conditions, particularly his basal cell carcinoma. The Veteran is seeking service connection for all skin conditions.

The Veteran's sleep apnea and degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine are granted service connection as they are secondary to his service-connected right knee conditions.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and a rating in excess of 40 percent for seizure disorder. The issue of service connection for hepatitis C remains denied.

The Board has ordered remand on three issues: lumbar spine disability, sleep apnea, and ulcerative colitis. Each issue requires a new VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's conditions.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it was incurred in service, caused by PTSD and/or diabetes mellitus, or aggravated by these conditions.