Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development to obtain relevant medical records and determine the appropriate disability ratings and service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance of another person due to service-connected disabilities, as well as housebound status due to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not establish that the Veteran was in need of regular aid and assistance or permanently housebound solely due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, OSA as secondary to PTSD, and increased rating for PTSD is remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The cases for bilateral hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded for further examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, COPD, asthma condition, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not been shown to preclude substantially gainful employment prior to April 7, 2011. Therefore, entitlement to a TDIU is denied for the period prior to that date.

The Board has ordered remand for further examination and evaluation of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and neurological disabilities, as these conditions are related to his service-connected low back disability. The rating for the neurological disabilities will also be reconsidered.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for anxiety, mood disorder, pes planus, sleep apnea, insomnia, and a left shoulder disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's petition to reopen a claim for service connection for sleep apnea was granted. The claim for service connection for hypertension was denied. Other claims were remanded.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to have started during his active military service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his acquired psychiatric disability was granted effective February 5, 2016. The appeal regarding the assignment of an earlier effective date for this rating is dismissed.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine and spinal stenosis, effective October 3, 2018. The effective date was determined based on the petition to reopen the claim received by VA on that day.

The Veteran's sleep apnea and hypertension conditions are remanded for further examination to determine their relationship to service, with a focus on the impact of his service-connected sarcoidosis.

The appeals for service connection for left knee replacement, glaucoma, sleep apnea, polyps in the colon, and right knee arthritis are dismissed. Service connection is granted for residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right knee. The appeals for service connection for hypertension and heart disability are remanded.

The Veteran's service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and deviated septum has been restored. Service connection for PTSD, GERD, sleep apnea, hypertension, and coronary artery disease is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his military service and whether it is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected asthma and/or rhinitis.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and migraine headaches, finding that the evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and active service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable initial rating for osteochondral fracture right patella, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and service connection for a sleep disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with IVDS is rated at 20 percent prior to October 23, 2018 and denied for a rating in excess of 20 percent since that date. The need for aid and attendance has been raised by the record.

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen his claim of service connection for sleep apnea and determined that he is entitled to service connection for this condition. The decision also confirms that the Veteran's previously denied claim remains in effect.