Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for OSA, COPD, and nephrolithiasis. The Board also found that his bilateral hearing loss warranted a 40% rating.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings, effective dates, and service connection were denied. The decision also found that the Veteran did not meet criteria for a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, a pulmonary disorder, left lower extremity neuropathy, and right lower extremity neuropathy with right leg shortening due to additional development being needed. The issues of TDIU are also remanded.

The Board has decided that the VA examinations in 2014 and 2018 did not adequately address the Veteran's claims for secondary service connection for COPD, liver disease, and sleep apnea due to his service-connected PTSD. The Board has therefore ordered new examinations.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and bowel incontinence have been granted ratings of 40 percent each since June 22, 2009.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea and asthma are at least as likely as not caused by or incurred in active service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD, fibromyalgia, sleep apnea (secondary to other specified and trauma-related disorder), gastrointestinal disability other than GERD, paralysis of the left vocal cord, paralysis of the left hemidiaphragm, syncope, and kidney disability have all been granted. The Veteran is also presumed to have served in the Southwest Asia theater during the Persian Gulf War.

The Veteran's appeal for right knee disability is dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the issue. The Board has remanded several other issues including peripheral neuropathy, respiratory disability, sleep apnea, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, skin disability (PFB), bilateral kidney disability, hearing loss, insomnia, depression, erectile dysfunction, and eye conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for a headache disability (claimed as migraine headaches), to include as due to undiagnosed illness and service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected low back disability is remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and a current examination.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and treatment records, as well as consideration of referral for an extraschedular rating.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found to have started during service and has persisted since then, with the Board finding the evidence in equipoise regarding its onset.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected pansinusitis. A new medical opinion is needed to address the specific circumstances of the Veteran's case.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, left hand disability, right hand disability, lower back disability, and a skin disorder affecting the feet (jungle rot).,Service connection is not granted as there is no evidence that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has granted effective dates of March 1, 2012 for the service connection of various disabilities including obstructive sleep apnea, neck disability, back disability, and bilateral upper and lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was caused by or aggravated during his military service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability, right shoulder disability, lumbosacral spine disability, bilateral hip disability, and residuals of a head injury. The Veteran's current disabilities are not related to his active service.,The Board found that the Veteran did not experience any current disability due to his claimed right shoulder disability, lumbosacral spine disability, bilateral hip disability, or residuals of a head injury which could be attributed to active service.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the condition did not originate in service or within one year after separation and is not related to any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities is denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression is denied due to lack of credible evidence linking his mental health condition to service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is denied because there is no current diagnosis and the medical records do not indicate an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied as there is insufficient evidence of a current diagnosis and lack of credible evidence linking it to service.,The Veteran's increased rating claim for diabetes mellitus remains at 20 percent, with the requirement of regulation of activities not met.,The Veteran's increased rating claim for diabetic retinopathy status post bilateral cataracts removal is remanded as there is no current visual field impairment data provided.