Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea and for an effective date prior to June 27, 2015 for the grant of service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's GERD with hiatal hernia, essential tremors, and obstructive sleep apnea are not related to service or service-connected conditions. The claims for these issues have been remanded for further development.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death, finding that none of his service-connected disabilities contributed to his causes of death.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development on several issues, including evaluations for his hearing loss and disabilities, effective date determinations, and increased ratings.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but remanded all other issues due to lack of evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea due to a lack of a VA examination and medical opinion related to his claim. The Veteran is required to undergo a VA examination to determine if he currently has sleep apnea, and whether it is at least as likely as not that this condition manifested during active duty or is otherwise related to such service.

The appeal regarding the right ankle disorder is dismissed. The issues of service connection for sleep dysfunction (including as secondary to acquired psychiatric disorder) and aggravation of pre-existing condition are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral strain with IVDS, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence showing a nexus between his current conditions and his military service.

Service connection for sleep disability, bilateral pterygium, and multiple myeloma is denied.,The Veteran’s hearing loss case requires further examination of his VA records and obtaining new audiometric results.,Issues regarding the propriety of reducing the rating for prostate cancer and entitlement to a higher rating need to be addressed.

The Veteran's total disability rating based on individual unemployability claim is denied, and the obstructive sleep apnea service connection issue is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was reopened due to new evidence. The claims for left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, fibromyalgia, eye disability (blurred vision), bilateral hearing loss disability, respiratory disability (COPD, lung condition with patch), sleep apnea, prostate disability, tension headaches, and acquired psychiatric disorder were all denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for sleep apnea and residuals of a traumatic brain injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and an initial compensable rating for his right pinky condition, finding that there was no current diagnosis of either condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain, also claimed as mid and lower back disability is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and to attempt to obtain private medical records.

The Veteran's tuberculosis was not shown to be caused by VA care, resulting in a denial of compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.,There is no evidence showing that the Veteran's pulmonary nodule of the left lung resulted from VA care, leading to a denial of compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.,The Veteran's sleep apnea was not shown to be caused by VA care, resulting in a denial of compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain a new VA examination to address the medical questions raised regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea, including whether it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected neck and low back disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for sleep apnea, a kidney condition, a breathing condition, a heart disability, hypertension and seizures as he withdrew his appeals prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10 percent rating for lumbosacral strain is denied. The Board has also remanded the TDIU claim due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of residuals of an anal fissure, residuals of a hernia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), genital herpes, Hepatitis B, hypertension, headaches, right leg disorder, left leg disorder, and vestibular disorder have been dismissed due to his withdrawal.