Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Board has decided that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea should be remanded for further development and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for laryngeal chondrosarcoma, scar as secondary to laryngectomy, and aphonia as secondary to residuals of surgery for laryngeal chondrosarcoma. The appeal is denied on the remaining issue of special monthly compensation based on aphonia.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral wrist disability and sleep disorder (other than sleep apnea) have been reopened, but service connection is not granted due to lack of current disabilities. The Veteran's tinnitus and migraine headaches are rated at the maximum schedular rating available, and an increased rating for plantar fasciitis quiescent is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current back disability is etiologically related to his active service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that his symptoms began during his active duty in Iraq and are related to his military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for retinitis pigmentosa should be remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran needs to undergo a VA examination to determine if his condition was incurred during or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disorder, left shoulder disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to inadequate medical opinions. The VA must obtain updated treatment records and provide a new opinion addressing the nature and origin of these conditions.

The Board has withdrawn the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied an increased rating for PTSD. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lumbosacral strain is remanded due to inadequate examination, and his claims for service connection for respiratory disability (secondary to PTSD) and for TDIU are also remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and migraine headaches. The Veteran's low back disorder, sleep apnea, and acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded for further development.,Service connection is not granted for the claimed conditions as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression and anxiety) have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasons and bases for its decision, failure to comply with duty to assist by obtaining records relevant to the Veteran's service, and need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and evaluation, including obtaining additional medical opinions on the etiology of sleep apnea and assessing the severity of the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder. The issue of TDIU is also inextricably intertwined with these claims.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is being remanded for an updated VA examination to assess the current nature and severity of his condition.,The issue of service connection for peripheral radiculopathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities is being remanded due to inadequate previous VA examination results.,An additional medical opinion is needed regarding the etiology of the Veteran's major depressive disorder, as well as whether it is aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability.,The issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is being remanded because there is evidence suggesting a link to military service or a service-connected disability.,A VA examination in conjunction with this claim is needed due to the Veteran's cervical spine disability possibly having been caused by his active service.,The Veteran's skin disability is being remanded for an additional VA examination and opinion regarding its etiology, given conflicting evidence from different medical professionals.,Service connection for high blood pressure is being remanded because it has not yet been adjudicated due to pending SSA benefits determination.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities are being remanded as well.,Service connection for hypercholesterolemia is being remanded, with a request for additional evidence from Social Security Administration (SSA) regarding disability benefits.

The Board has denied service connection for ovarian cyst and remanded the issue of sleep apnea. The decision on ovarian cyst is based on lack of evidence linking current symptoms to service, while the sleep apnea claim requires additional medical opinion regarding its onset in service or secondary to service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral leg condition and a bilateral hand condition, but granted service connection for hypertension, coronary artery disease, and sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder.,The Veteran was also granted TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, type II, and depression, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and active service or any service-connected disabilities.,The decision also noted that the Veteran had been overweight for several years prior to his diagnosis of diabetes mellitus in 2009.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and the Board denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder does not cause or permanently aggravate his obstructive sleep apnea. The Court found this decision was inadequate and ordered a remand to obtain an adequate VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was incurred during active duty service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disability, left knee disability, and sinus passage injury. The claim for sleep apnea was also remanded.,An earlier effective date of February 3, 2010 for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied.