Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, PTSD, and headaches have been denied. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for hemorrhoids and bilateral plantar fasciitis are set at May 8, 2015. The Veteran is granted a 10 percent evaluation for his hemorrhoids but not for his bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct relationship between his current condition and his military service. The Board also found insufficient evidence to establish secondary or aggravation service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether his claimed conditions are of the type that should have been documented in service records and were not. The Veteran is required to undergo new VA examinations to address these issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his low back disability was denied. The claims for increases in the ratings assigned for right ankle ligament strain, right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee retropatellar pain syndrome with degenerative arthritis, and mallet little finger, right hand are remanded.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is being remanded for a VA examination to determine its nature and etiology, including whether it is related to his service-connected PTSD and/or diabetes.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions, including respiratory condition, rhinitis, sleep apnea, heart condition (slow pulse and pacemaker), and scrotum condition, have been dismissed as the Veteran has withdrawn his appeal.

The appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus with osteoarthritis, chronic lumbosacral strain, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome have been rated as they are currently manifested. The maximum schedular rating of 50% for bilateral pes planus has been assigned.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further development, including a VA examination and re-adjudication of the service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete Reserve records and unverified ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA periods of service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been reopened, and he is granted secondary service connection. His tinnitus is rated at the maximum allowable under VA guidelines. The Veteran's CAD with stable angina is rated as 10 percent disabling since July 1, 2014. He is granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD with depressive symptoms. His bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable initial rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is service-connected as it began during her military service.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is not causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service and is not caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis and/or maxillary sinusitis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the preponderance of evidence is against a finding of current disabilities in some cases (neck).,Service connection has been granted for sleep apnea and aggravation by psychiatric disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, type II, and an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxiety, and somatoform disorder) due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.

Service connection is granted for headaches, PTSD, and low back strain. Other issues are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his lumbar spine disability is remanded, and the issue of entitlement to a temporary total rating prior to October 14, 2015 and after November 30, 2015 is dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's OSA is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The case will be returned for an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including migraine headaches, OSA, IBS, TBI, cervical spine disability, and osteoarthritis of the left knee. The effective dates for these issues are not addressed in this decision.