Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inadequate examination reports and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's right foot disability is granted, as the evidence supports a finding that it had its onset during service or is otherwise related to his active service.,Service connection for orthopedic disabilities of the bilateral upper and lower extremities is denied. The Board found no credible evidence linking these conditions to service or any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service connection for sleep apnea is denied, and his left knee disability is granted a 60% rating effective from the date of claim. A separate 10% rating for left knee instability was also granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including nicotine dependence, asbestos exposure, and psychiatric disorders. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated during her military service.

The Board has denied a rating for compressive neuropathy of the left suprascapular nerve in excess of 20 percent prior to April 26, 2012 and in excess of 40 percent thereafter. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, peripheral vestibular disorder, and sleep apnea are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is intertwined with the other service connection claims.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to provide a supplemental VA opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, as well as service connection for headaches and sleep apnea.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and a need for further development. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability, specifically sleep apnea, is being remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination regarding whether OSA is related to or aggravated by service-connected PTSD and mood disorder. The Veteran's claims for service connection are now pending.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, but the claim for diabetes mellitus is remanded due to lack of verification of a duty station stop in Vietnam and need for an opinion on whether DM was caused or aggravated by sleep apnea.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination and qualification information, particularly regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran is required to provide documentation showing any and all known qualifications for the examiners in this case.

The Veteran's service connection claim for plantar fasciitis is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of plantar fasciitis related to his military service, resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's headaches, sleep apnea, and hip condition. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected, with all reasonable doubt resolved in his favor.,Service connection for GERD and Hiatal Hernia is denied due to lack of evidence linking the current condition to service.

The Board has denied a higher evaluation for lumbosacral strain rated at 20 percent from April 20, 2009; 10 percent from March 1, 2011; and 20 percent from January 5, 2018.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, flat feet with inflammation, a right wrist condition, carpal tunnel syndrome, and sleep apnea. The case is being returned to VA for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The claim to reopen the service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted. The claims to reopen for bilateral knee disability and sleep apnea are denied. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is established, but not for bilateral knee or sleep apnea. An increased rating of 40 percent for a back disability is granted.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including headache disorder, sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disorder, abdominal aortic aneurysm, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and left shoulder disorder. The decision also found that pre-existing allergies were not aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from working in substantially gainful employment as of March 28, 2012. The Board granted TDIU effective March 28, 2012.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and asthma due to insufficient evidence or further development.