Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current sleep apnea disability was incurred in or related to service, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea began during his deployment and is related to service, granting the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's OSA, hypertension, and coronary artery disease are all found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD.,PTSD is rated at a maximum of 100% since October 16, 2017.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability (lumbosacral strain) as the evidence did not show it was related to active military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient development and lack of consideration of a direct service connection theory. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea may be related to his service-connected PTSD, but further examination is needed.

The Veteran's application to reopen his service connection claim for left hand arthritis is granted, and he is now entitled to a 40 percent rating from April 14, 2014.

The Veteran's sleep apnea was not shown during active duty service and is not related to active duty service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions including a right knee disorder, right hip disorder, bilateral hand and foot neurologic disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea. The evidence did not show any chronic diagnoses of these conditions in service or within one year after separation from active duty.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbosacral strain, leg limitation of flexion of right knee, cervical strain, and major depressive disorder as they were not found to be related to active service or secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's skin disabilities (rosacea and acne) are remanded for further examination. The low back disability is also remanded, as the current VA examinations do not provide sufficient detail to determine the proper rating. Additionally, the peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities is remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding its etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, including as secondary to PTSD and cervical spine degenerative disc disease due to a lack of evidence linking his current diagnosis to his active duty service or any service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to September 18, 2015 and from January 1, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and other conditions have been denied as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria.,Service connection has not been established for any of the claimed disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service as a parachutist.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for cirrhosis of the liver was denied as there is no current diagnosis of this condition.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for his ventral hernia was also denied, with the Board finding that a noncompensable evaluation was appropriate.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea syndrome was not shown to have manifested during service and is not attributable to service. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, a chronic multisymptom illness, sleep apnea, and a psychiatric disorder are not supported by the evidence of record. The appeals have been remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding these conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and fibromyalgia should be remanded due to incomplete information about his military service, lack of medical opinions addressing causation or aggravation, and need for clarification on Persian Gulf veteran status.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety disorder and depression are being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the claim of service connection for migraine headaches.,The Board is also remanding the Veteran's claims for service connection for an anxiety disorder secondary to a right inguinal hernia, depression secondary to hydrocele, and migraine headaches.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not service-connected as it did not manifest during active service and there is no evidence of a chronic disease within one year of separation. The Veteran's current hearing loss is attributed to the natural progression of aging.,There is no evidence that the Veteran has a head scar or TBI related to his military service.