Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including an evaluation of OSA, PTSD, and migraine headaches. The Veteran's service connection claim for OSA is also being considered on a secondary basis due to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for an anxiety disorder was granted. His claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction (reopened) is remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, but denied his claim for increased ratings for his right ankle sprain, left knee disability, and right knee disability.,The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea (secondary to PTSD) due to new evidence received since the previous decisions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in permanent total disability. The Veteran is also seeking an increased rating for his TBI.

The Veteran's tinnitus and sleep apnea are granted as service-connected.,Service connection for a back condition is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between his current disabilities and his in-service injury. The issues of whether restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability are related to service-connected conditions or an in-service event have been sent back for further development.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection of sleep apnea, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and dental trauma due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including pneumonia, right knee disability, sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathies, and other disabilities, have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.,Service connection was not granted because there is no medical evidence linking the current diagnoses to service or secondary to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected lumbosacral radiculopathy and lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The current ratings are found to be appropriate.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have PTSD and denied service connection for OSA. The case is being remanded to obtain a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, finding that there was no evidence of asbestos exposure or radiation exposure during service and concluding that any current respiratory disorders are not related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) because no new and material evidence was submitted, and the existing evidence did not establish a nexus between OSA and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI, an initial compensable rating for PFB, and a higher rating for lumbosacral strain were denied. The claim for service connection for TBI was reopened due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and denied an increased rating for lumbosacral strain and arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine. The Veteran's current disabilities do not meet or approximate the criteria for higher ratings under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the cases due to issues with obtaining medical records and clarifying unit history reports. The Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus, type II (claimed as herbicide exposure), are being reviewed again.

The Veteran's service connection claims for cystitis, onychomycosis, and lumbosacral DJD have been denied. The initial disability rating of 40 percent for lumbosacral DJD from June 12, 2008 to July 24, 2009 has been granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's sleep impairment, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is related to his service or a service-connected disability. The Veteran testified that his OSA began during service and is due to or aggravated by his now service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and denied compensable ratings for left ear hearing loss and left heel spur. The Veteran's left heel spur was found to be moderately severe, but the claim of a higher rating for this condition is also denied.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for asthma and sleep apnea due to insufficient findings regarding their etiology and pathophysiology. The Veteran's VA medical examinations from before Stewart v. Wilkie were not sufficient, and new opinions are needed.

The Board granted a disability rating of 60 percent for service-connected seborrheic dermatitis with rosacea from April 14, 2008 to December 8, 2008, and denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the same condition during other periods.