Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case for a retrospective opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's service-connected post-discectomy and fusion of the lumbosacral spine prior to June 20, 1997. The issue remains denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for right ring finger trauma.

The Veteran's low back disability and associated left lower extremity radiculopathy are rated, but the Board has found that remand is necessary for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, including for low back disability, OSA, erosive esophagitis, gastroenteritis, colitis with colon polyps, and an eating disorder secondary to MDD. The appeals for asthma are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea due to a lack of an opinion regarding whether his current sleep apnea is related to his active duty service. The case will be returned to the VA examiner who provided the April 2014 sleep apnea opinion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not related to his service-connected degenerative disc disease, and therefore denied the claim for secondary service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a prostate disorder was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claim. Appeals for other conditions were denied as untimely.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between his military service and OSA.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for clarification regarding the use of systemic corticosteroids and immune-suppressive drugs. Separate evaluations for OSA at 50 percent and asthma at 60 percent are denied.

The Veteran's neurogenic bowel condition is currently rated with his service-connected lumbosacral strain. The Board has found that the Veteran clearly has bladder impairment, which may be a neurological manifestation of his lumbar spine disability. Therefore, this issue is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's sleep apnea disorder is remanded for further examination and review of his claims, including obtaining relevant VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding the relationship between his service and his condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including right knee disability, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and psychiatric disorders. The appeals are currently pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and inadequate opinions. The Veteran is required to provide VA with any relevant medical records, including those from his in-service injury. He also needs to complete a VA Form 21-8940 regarding his employment status.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea and right shoulder DJD, as additional medical evidence is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, including his in-service symptoms and conduct. A VA examination is required.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea and irritable bowel syndrome are granted. The Veteran is awarded a 30 percent disability rating for his service-connected IBS, effective from the date of the decision. Service connection for low back disorder and left lower extremity radiculopathy is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain, right knee patellar tendonitis, and recurrent right ankle strain has been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of her appeals.

The Veteran's Obstructive Sleep Apnea is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and the Board has granted service connection for OSA.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for coronary artery disease was dismissed. The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as the evidence did not support a finding that it had its onset during active service or was otherwise related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea and remanded the issues of initial compensable rating for bilateral localized degenerative joint disease with bruxism and service connection for hypertension.