Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea and CJD due to a need for additional medical examination. The Veteran's account of his conditions is considered credible, but further evidence is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has granted a rating of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder effective August 31, 2012. The remaining issues on appeal have been remanded due to incomplete development.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion evidence and will need to obtain an updated VA treatment records and schedule the Veteran for a sleep apnea examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine and lower extremity radiculopathies are being remanded due to inadequate examination findings. The Veteran is seeking higher disability ratings, but the most recent VA examination did not adequately assess his symptoms or provide a comprehensive evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was granted a 20 percent rating for his left ankle disability, cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, and lumbosacral strain from March 3, 2014. Service connection for chronic gastritis and GERD were not established.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to include as secondary to bronchial asthma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been reopened. The Board is remanding the case for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his claims.

The Veteran's OSA was found to have its onset in service, and the Board granted service connection for OSA based on direct evidence of a current disability (OSA) that is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for OSA and CFS due to inadequate opinions provided by the VA examiner. The Veteran's OSA is being considered secondary to PTSD and hypertension, while his CFS is being evaluated as a symptom of undiagnosed illness related to Gulf War service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities have been denied as the evidence does not show that his conditions meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims and a VA examination. The Veteran's claims of glaucoma, bilateral ankle disability, hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, heart disability, hypertension, back disability, degenerative arthritis of the left hip, and peripheral neuropathy are all pending.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and remanded the issues regarding his right and left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient reasoning and lack of clarity in the October 2019 addendum opinion. The Veteran's thyroid condition is related to his exposure to chemical solvents, but the causal link between TCE and thyroid cancer remains unclear. Sleep apnea is secondary to Hashimoto's thyroiditis with papillary carcinoma.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the onset and etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) disability, specifically addressing the March 1998 PSG study.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of records and incomplete VA examinations. The Veteran's claims for various conditions are being returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for OSA and TDIU due to insufficient evidence on whether OSA is secondary to PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea, ischemic heart disease, and hypertension due to inadequate development in prior examinations. The claims are being returned for further action.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and hypothyroidism as secondary to service-connected coronary artery disease and/or due to herbicide agent exposure. The Board found that these conditions were not incurred in or caused by service, including presumed exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches due to insufficient evidence. The appellant's attorney submitted private medical opinions indicating that his PTSD may aggravate his obstructive sleep apnea, but a VA examination is needed to determine if this relationship exists. For headaches, the examiner found them caused by multiple conditions including PTSD, sleep apnea, and hypertension, but more information is needed.

The Veteran's bilateral facet disease of the lumbosacral spine is rated at 10 percent prior to October 20, 2010 and 20 percent thereafter.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy is currently rated at 10 percent. A higher rating is not warranted.