Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Veteran's sleep apnea and hypertension are found to be related to his service-connected PTSD, warranting the grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea, finding no evidence that these conditions began during service or were related to his military service. The Veteran's left testicle epididymitis was also denied as a compensable rating is not warranted based on the current evidence.

Service connection for hearing loss in left ear is denied.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for sleep apnea is denied.,Service connection for skin cancer on face is denied.,A compensable rating for hearing loss in right ear is denied.,The claim for service connection for a back disability is remanded.,The claim for service connection for a vestibular disorder in the right ear, to include vertigo and loss of balance, is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development and medical examination to determine the nature, etiology, severity, and service connection of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations related to the Veteran's lumbar spine condition and obstructive sleep apnea are inadequate, and thus remanded for further examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of narcolepsy and remanded several other issues including sleep apnea, hypertension, hepatitis C, chronic kidney disease, erectile dysfunction, enlarged prostate gland, thyroid dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety disorder. The matter is REMANDED for an appropriate VA examination.

The Board has dismissed all issues related to service connection and TDIU due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee condition, left knee condition, hearing loss, sleep apnea, skin condition, and acquired psychological condition (including post-traumatic stress disorder).,Service connection was not granted because there is no current disability for each of these conditions.

The Veteran's shin splints, left knee disability, right hand arthritis, sleep apnea, and right ulnar nerve lesion are not service-connected.,A VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran's right knee disability.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for sleep apnea, including as secondary to asthma, is granted. The Board finds that new and material evidence has been submitted to support the reopening of this claim. However, the issue of whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to service or secondary to his service-connected asthma remains pending due to a need for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new evidence being added to his case file, and he and his representative have not waived AOJ initial review of this evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a sleep disorder and an increased rating for right ankle disability are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for OSA is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to confirm the diagnosis and determine if it had its onset during active service or is otherwise related to it. The claim for service connection for tinea pedis is also remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the condition.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinea pedis requires a VA examination to evaluate the nature and etiology of his claimed condition, given the conflicting opinions in the record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is not related to his military service or any service-connected disabilities, and thus denied the claim.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction due to potential issues with causation. The TDIU claim is also raised as a component of the rating appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, cholesterol problems, and hypertension have been denied. The Veteran's claim of increased rating for TBI has also been remanded.,Service connection for psychiatric disability, obstructive sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) are pending.

The Veteran is granted annual VA clothing allowances for the years 2016 and 2018 due to her use of left knee braces, which cause wear and tear on her pants. The decision also grants a clothing allowance for the year 2016 due to her use of a low back brace.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. Additional development is needed, including obtaining service treatment records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and cervical spine disability have been granted service connection. The Veteran's sleep apnea and TIAs are currently being remanded for further review.,Service connection has been established for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and now his sleep apnea is under consideration.