Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Veteran's low back condition warrants a disability rating in excess of 10 percent, and the Board has ordered a remand to determine its current severity.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right eye disorder, sleep apnea, and heart disorders. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for left hip and right knee osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between his service-connected conditions and his sleep apnea.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain due to spina bifida occulta and degenerative disc disease have been rated at 40 percent since October 31, 2011. The TDIU has also been granted effective from that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are not supported by the evidence and have been denied. The issues of service connection for a right leg disability, PTSD, back disability, sleep apnea, and unspecified depressive disorder with unspecified schizophrenia remain in remand status due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right knee Baker’s cyst, and right knee medial compartment osteoarthritis. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions addressing whether these conditions are related to his service-connected PTSD or in-service peroneal nerve palsy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right foot disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,Service connection for low back, neck, left knee, and right knee disabilities are remanded due to incomplete personnel records and the need for clarification on the dates of events claimed by the Veteran.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral eye disability is remanded as there are outstanding private treatment records that have not been obtained.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, and coronary artery disease (status-post CABG) are remanded due to incomplete personnel records and the need for clarification on the dates of events claimed by the Veteran.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is remanded as there are outstanding VA treatment records that have not been obtained.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, depressive disorder, headaches, and hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected chronic bronchitis. The appeal is remanded for a VA examination regarding the evaluation of the service-connected chronic bronchitis.

The Veteran's application to reopen a claim of service connection for respiratory disability was granted, and an effective date of March 22, 2015, but no earlier, was assigned for the award of an increased (10 percent) rating for arthritis of the lumbosacral spine. The application to increase the Veteran's right patellofemoral pain syndrome and patellar chondromalacia, status post arthroscopic medial meniscal debridement with scars, from 10 percent to a higher rating was remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine and cervical spine are being remanded due to outstanding private medical records from Dr. D., which have not been obtained.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, lumbar spine disorder, hypertension, and chronic headache disorder are granted. The claim for a right foot disorder (excluding residuals of a right ankle fracture) is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, finding no direct nexus to his time in service and no aggravation of a pre-existing condition. The Board also found that there was no evidence linking the sleep apnea to his service-connected depressive disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is not related to his service-connected PTSD. The Board has remanded several issues for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, allergic rhinitis, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, and symptoms of acid reflux and IBS. These issues are remanded due to insufficient evidence in previous VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and an increased rating for hypertensive heart disease, but granted a compensable rating (10%) for hypertension. The appeal was remanded for further action on other issues.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea and insomnia claims should be remanded for further development, including obtaining an opinion on the etiology of his sleep disorders.

The Veteran's claim for migraine headaches was granted with an effective date of March 5, 1998. The claim for obstructive sleep apnea was denied and is not currently under consideration.