Sleep apnea decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his military service. The VA examiners did not address the risk factors for sleep apnea, including obesity and nasal congestion during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and treatment records, requiring a new VA examination to determine if any sleep disorder pre-existed service or is related to military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sinus disability, sleep apnea, and heart disability due to incomplete VA examinations. The AOJ is instructed to schedule the necessary examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for male infertility and obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical evidence addressing their etiology. The Veteran is requested to provide or authorize release of private treatment records, and a VA examination will be scheduled.

The Veteran's Obstructive Sleep Apnea was not incurred in service and is not proximately due to, aggravated by, or the result of a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether his sleep apnea is related to his service-connected deviated nasal septum.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for depression has been reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, obstructive sleep apnea, and lung disability have also been reopened and granted.

The Board dismissed the appeals on the claims of service connection for sleep apnea and bilateral knee disorder due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded several claims due to the absence of treatment records, including for lumbar spine disability, gastrointestinal disability (claimed as hiatal hernia/GERD), and right knee disability. The Veteran's service-connected conditions are not considered primary causes of his current disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a right elbow disability and a left hip disability, finding that the Veteran's current pain is more likely than not linked to in-service injuries.,Service connection was also remanded for sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence regarding its relation to service.

The Board has determined that the development conducted does not adequately comply with the directives of the April 2018 remand. Therefore, the case is being returned to the RO for further action.

The Board has remanded the claims due to lack of substantial compliance with its December 2017 remand. The AOJ is instructed to contact the Air Force Historical Research Agency and obtain any unit history and supporting documents related to the Veteran's alleged exposure to herbicides while stationed in Guam.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine spondylosis with multilevel DJD and associated right lower extremity radiculopathy are rated at 20 percent. The Board finds that new VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity of these disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected major depression disorder. The VA needs to obtain additional records and schedule an appropriate examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as incurred in service.,Right ear hearing loss is denied as not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verifying service records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea disorder was incurred during his period of active duty in the Navy from 1957 to 1960.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and reopening of his atrial fibrillation and Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy service connection claims need to be remanded due to additional VA treatment records not having been considered.

The Veteran's initial rating for service-connected lumbosacral spine DDD status-post fusion with scar was granted at a 40 percent disability level, effective from the date of service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and chronic fatigue syndrome have been denied as there is no evidence of these conditions during or since service, and the Board found that they are not related to service.,For his left shoulder strain, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, the Veteran has been granted increased ratings. The eczema of face, chest, and scalp claim was denied as there is no evidence of a compensable disability. The appendectomy scar claim was also denied.

The Board has granted an effective date of October 25, 2010 for the grant of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's claim was received by VA on that date.