Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition and the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that it was incurred in or aggravated by active duty.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was granted service connection as it existed prior to service and was aggravated during service.,There is no evidence of diplopia, thus the claim for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in total occupational and social impairment due to persistent suicidal ideation.,Affording the Veteran the benefit of doubt, his obstructive sleep apnea was caused by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has dismissed the appeals on the issues of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss and earlier effective dates for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss. The claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, TIA/stroke, visual impairment, irritable bowel syndrome, and sleep apnea are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine is denied. Claims for effective dates prior to February 9, 2017, for increased ratings for stroke residual and right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy are also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee conditions, as well as residuals of a left knee replacement. The claims for hypertension, headaches, bruxism, TMJ disorder, and sleep apnea are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right foot verruca plantaris does not warrant a compensable rating, and has remanded for further action on his claims of service connection for sleep apnea and PTSD.

The Board has denied an increased rating for tension headaches and remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected insomnia.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as it did not begin during service and is not causally related to service. The Veteran's current sleep apnea was found to be a separate condition from his in-service insomnia, which improved with antidepressant medication.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are being remanded to obtain additional evidence, conduct medical examinations, and complete development regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions, including left knee condition, right knee condition, right shoulder condition, sleep apnea, acid reflux, and bilateral hearing loss have all been denied. The Board found no evidence to support the presence or causation of these conditions during military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and bilateral hearing loss disability due to outstanding VA medical records.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD but has remanded the issues of OSA and pulmonary nodules due to conflicting medical opinions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and ratings for certain disabilities. The specific issues include dental disorders, hearing loss, tinnitus, ear infections, sleep apnea, arm and elbow disorders, frostbite residuals, low back disorder, sciatic nerve disorder, psychiatric disorders, pes planus, gout in the lower extremities, bronchial asthma, and allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, right femoral hernia, left femoral hernia, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder and PTSD), and COPD have all been denied. The Board found no current diagnoses of these conditions.,There is no evidence showing the Veteran has any current diagnosed sleep apnea, right or left femoral hernias, or an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder and PTSD).

The Veteran's valvular heart disease was not shown in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. The Board found that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether sleep apnea began during service, thus granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for recurrent headaches and remanded the claims of hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board found no legal basis for the assigned schedular evaluations, effective dates, or determinations regarding service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for rosacea, asthma, enlarged prostate, chronic lower back pain, and major depressive disorder as secondary to service-connected acne have been granted. The claim for service connection for asthma has been denied.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for sleep apnea is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his treatment records and a VA examination.