Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for skin disability, right wrist arthritis, left wrist arthritis, sleep apnea, and pulmonary hypertension. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence was against finding a causal relationship between these conditions and active duty.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete and inadequate opinions in the July 2016 VA medical examination reports. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate examination findings, specifically regarding functional loss during flare-ups and repeated use.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to his military service.,The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for intra-abdominal bleeding status post umbilical repair (claimed as stomach condition) is granted, with no effective date provided.

Service connection is granted for major depressive disorder and tinnitus. Service connection is remanded for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The persistent depressive disorder was rated at 30%, the postoperative scar on the right groin had no compensable rating, and there is insufficient evidence to establish a service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction, as well as the establishment of special monthly compensation based on the loss of use of a creative organ, were granted effective July 27, 2007.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU was also granted effective April 27, 2013.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left shoulder issue and low back pain due to a lack of VA examination.,VA is required to schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination in order to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, hypertension, and bilateral leg disability. The Veteran's low back condition is not related to his military service, while his hypertension and sleep apnea are related.,The Board granted service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea, both of which are related to the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's increased ratings for lumbar fusion L4-L5 and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity have been denied.,For the lumbar spine, the criteria for a higher rating are not met as the flexion is greater than 30 degrees but not more than 60 degrees.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a back disability due to insufficient development and an inadequate opinion from the VA examiner. The case will be returned for further examination and analysis.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD disability is remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his symptoms.,The Veteran's chronic sinusitis is remanded due to insufficient evidence addressing whether it is related to burn pit exposure while serving overseas.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is remanded as there was no opinion regarding its relationship to PTSD with MDD and/or service-connected conditions, including burn pit exposure.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability is remanded for a VA examination to determine if it had its onset in service or is otherwise related to active service.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left and right upper extremities is remanded as there was no opinion regarding whether it is related to PTSD with MDD.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted entitlement to total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hemorrhoids, hepatitis C, sleep apnea, asthma, flat feet, and acid reflux due to new evidence received since previous decisions.,Hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea due to inadequate examination reports and opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The TBI claim was denied as the evidence did not show total impairment, and separate psychiatric diagnoses of PTSD and major depressive disorder were found to be related to his panic disorder without agoraphobia.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, chronic fatigue syndrome, and memory loss due to lack of sufficient evidence or clear reasoning.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and a need for clarification of the Veteran's periods of active duty. The claims for sleep apnea, neck disorder, left foot disorder, right foot disorder, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left wrist disorder, right wrist disorder, bilateral hearing loss, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and an acquired psychiatric disorder are all remanded.

The Veteran's claims of increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis of the spine, right knee disability, and left knee disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The other issues have been remanded.