Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding herbicide agent exposure and its relation to OSA. The Veteran's ED is denied as it is not caused or aggravated by service-connected diabetes.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral arm and hand conditions, neck condition, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure. The Veteran's claims were not supported by current medical evidence or a link to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected asthma.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning and missing medical records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is being reviewed again.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and GERD, as secondary to PTSD. The issues are now pending before VA for further review.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder, sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), lumbosacral strain, and left knee chondromalacia. The appeals were all denied as there was no current diagnosis or evidence of in-service injury resulting in the claimed conditions.

Tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Traumatic brain injury is denied as not service-connected.,Right knee disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent is remanded for further examination and opinion.,Left knee disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent is remanded for further examination and opinion.,Right shoulder condition is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding etiology.,Left elbow condition is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding etiology.,Bilateral hearing loss is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding etiology.,Cervical spine condition is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding etiology.,Obstructive sleep apnea is granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including lumbar spine condition (claimed as back condition), GERD, mental disorder (claimed as depressive illness), hyperlipidemia, left and right carpal tunnel syndrome, left and right hip arthritis, bilateral knee arthritis, discoid lupus erythematosus, hypertension, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been denied. The Veteran's lumbar spine condition is not service connected due to lack of evidence showing it was incurred or aggravated during service.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than February 29, 1996 for the grant of service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea are granted as service-connected, with the left knee disability receiving a temporary 100% rating followed by a permanent 60% rating.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of entitlement to service connection for a heart condition due to the Veteran's withdrawal. The issue of service connection for sleep apnea, secondary to cervical spine strain, is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for acne rosacea and heart disorder due to herbicide exposure, but the right knee issue is remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a lack of Social Security Administration records and for a new examination regarding his migraine headaches.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to TDIU due to a lack of substantial compliance with the terms of the March 2016 remand, and ordered an addendum opinion regarding the combined effects of the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board has decided to remand several claims related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including G6PD, hematuria, PTSD, diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts, sleep apnea, acid reflux, hyperlipidemia, left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis, bilateral knee scars, and major depressive disorder. The remand includes obtaining missing VA treatment records, scheduling examinations for the Veteran's depression, knees, elbows, and lumbar strain conditions, and issuing a Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea and remanded it for further development, including a new VA examination.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for sleep apnea and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a link between the condition and active duty service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for low back disability, obstructive sleep apnea, and skin cancer is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of his cervical spine disabilities, sleep apnea, and other conditions.,The Veteran is also seeking a TDIU rating based on his multiple service-connected disabilities.

Service connection for PTSD is granted.,The Veteran's left wrist disability, sleep apnea, headaches, and hypertension are remanded for further examination and analysis.