Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for vocal mucosa and allergic dermatitis have been dismissed. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for COPD and angina/coronary artery disease.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea should be remanded due to inadequate opinion in the VA examination and missing treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and obstructive sleep apnea due to a lack of medical records. The Veteran is required to provide authorization for VA to obtain his private treatment records from Dr. T.-T., and VA must also obtain any relevant VA records.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbosacral strain conditions are found to be related to service, leading to a grant of service connection for both.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to insufficient evidence in the record, including a lack of recent VA knee and TBI examinations.

The Veteran's service connection claims for Major Depressive Disorder and Obstructive Sleep Apnea are remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has found that the Veteran's current education, experience, and skills render him suitable for certain positions. However, due to his worsening PTSD, which is currently rated at 70 percent disabling, he may not be able to perform these jobs effectively. The case is being remanded to obtain additional records and conduct further evaluations to determine if the Veteran can pursue an advanced degree or change his career path.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability and sleep apnea have been granted service connection. The issue of right eye injury is dismissed as the Veteran does not seek compensation for it. Service connection for residuals of left distal fibula fracture (left ankle) remains at a 30% rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and fibromyalgia, as well as his claim for TDIU prior to September 24, 2009. The remand requires obtaining updated medical opinions addressing the relationships between these conditions and the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of sleep apnea and has determined that it is at least as likely as not related to active duty service. The decision also grants service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for left foot disability, sleep apnea, residuals of TBI, and acquired psychiatric disability due to missing documents in the record.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further review and an addendum medical advisory opinion regarding whether the Veteran's OSA is related to his service.

The Veteran's claim to reopen the PTSD service connection is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea, secondary to depressive disorder, is denied.,Service connection for hypertension, secondary to depressive disorder, is denied.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was diagnosed during service and is considered to have started there, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to verify the Veteran's reported stressor events in service and to determine if he meets the criteria for PTSD. The sleep apnea claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the PTSD issue.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea may be related to his service, but needs further medical examination to confirm this.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete VA opinions and failure to address certain arguments in the joint motion. The Veteran's sleep apnea, including symptoms of sleep disturbances, needs to be evaluated for direct service connection or as a result of an undiagnosed illness.

The Veteran's peripheral vestibular disorder is granted as a residual of his TBI. The Veteran's sleep apnea and PTSD are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 70 percent rating for the entire appeal period, and he is granted TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The increased rating for obstructive sleep apnea was dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate findings in previous VA opinions and potential additional sleep disorders not previously considered.