Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea began during her active service and is related to her in-service snoring, granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for a bilateral knee condition and hypertension was granted. The RO denied the reopened claim for hearing loss, asthma, lumbar degenerative disc disease, right ankle disability, bilateral foot disability, OSA, and hypertension on the merits.,The Board remanded the reopened issue of service connection for a bilateral knee condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, to include as secondary to PTSD due to a lack of a VA examination. The Veteran contends that his current sleep apnea is related to his military service and/or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left eye retinal detachment, left eye cataract, sleep apnea, and a back disability due to incomplete evidentiary development. The AOJ is instructed to obtain relevant medical records from institutions where the Veteran was incarcerated during his incarceration periods.

The Board has granted service connection for periodic limb movement disorder and remanded the issues of sleep disability other than periodic limb movement disorder and right foot disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and sleep apnea, but has remanded them due to inadequate VA examination reports. The claim for an increased rating of depressive disorder is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and secondary service connection for various conditions, including lumps under the arms, swollen legs, low back disorder, and sleep apnea as secondary to sarcoidosis with pulmonary involvement, have been denied. The Board found no current disability for 'lumps' under the right and left arms.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his military service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for ankylosing spondylitis of the lumbosacral spine, finding that it is etiologically related to his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea, low back condition, bilateral knee and ankle conditions, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension. The decision also remanded the claim for a higher rating for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran and inadequate opinions from previous VA examiners. The examiner is required to provide an addendum opinion regarding whether OSA had its onset during active duty, or is otherwise related to his service, including exposure to chemicals, fuels, sandstorms, and other environmental contaminants.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, sleep apnea, and a back disorder related to exposure at Camp Lejeune are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea, but has remanded them for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anemia was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, and the Board finds that the Veteran does not have left upper extremity radiculopathy.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, allergic rhinitis, exercise-induced asthma, and back disorder were remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that the VA examination conducted in October 2019 is inadequate for decision making purposes and does not substantially comply with the Board's remand directives. The Veteran’s claim of service connection for sleep apnea is therefore being remanded again for an addendum medical opinion.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea and a left knee disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service or to his service-connected heart disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his active service.