Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The Board has now granted service connection for this condition, finding that there is a reasonable possibility it began during her military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, as the current evidence is not sufficient to fully inform the Board on the merits of these claims.

The Board has remanded several claims for service connection due to the Veteran's previous denial of these conditions in 2014 and 2016. The new claim is considered a reopening of those prior determinations.

The Veteran's claims for reimbursement of parking fees and monthly subsistence allowance, as well as his request for VR&E services including independent living services, are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence.,The Veteran has been provided with a thorough vocational rehabilitation evaluation that includes assessments of his current limitations caused by service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to perform in both his current occupational field and desired career changes.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected TMJ. The issue of service connection for throat cancer and its residuals, including due to chemical exposure, is remanded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his active duty service and remands the case for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a relationship between his current disorder and active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for lumbar strain with scoliosis, osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease, and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions. The Veteran was unable to complete range of motion testing during a previous VA examination because he was in too much pain.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of a link between the claimed conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a traumatic brain injury and evaluation of cervical strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine, previously rated as neck strain. The Veteran's claim is based on new evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for sleep apnea, heart disorder, PTSD with TBI, gout of the right great toe, and chest pain due to potential overlap in symptoms and need for further medical examination.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current condition had its onset during active service and resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Board has decided that a VA medical opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's sleep apnea began during service or is related to an incident of service. The decision does not address any other aspects of the claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to obtain medical records and clarify certain aspects of his claims. The specific issues are related to erectile dysfunction, headaches and migraines, sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain is being remanded due to the need for a new examination that addresses functional loss during flare-ups and additional limitations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that OSA was incurred in or caused by active service, including as secondary to service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).,The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial disability rating for hemorrhoids is denied due to lack of evidence showing large or thrombotic hemorrhoids, irreducible, with excessive redundant tissue, evidencing frequent recurrences, persistent bleeding, or fissures.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. The claim for TBI remains pending and requires further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was at least as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected diabetes, and thus grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Board has denied service connection for dyspnea with wheezing, including as due to undiagnosed illness. The Veteran's claims of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), myalgia and myositis, diverticulitis, rhinitis, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and sinus tachycardia are remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.