Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for left lower extremity neuralgia and remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran's claim for increased disability rating remains pending, while his claim for service connection for sleep apnea is being remanded to obtain an adequate medical opinion.

Service connection granted for PTSD. OSA rated at 50%. Headaches restored to 50% from May 1, 2017 and loss of smell rating restored to 10% from February 1, 2017. Major depressive disorder with TBI remains at 70%, but TBI is separately rated.

The Board has granted service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) on a secondary basis, finding that the Veteran's OSA is at least as likely as not related to his service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis and lower back spasms/strain/nonallopathic lesions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if there is a link between the Veteran's current psychiatric, sleep apnea, and left ankle conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine strain and lumbosacral strain have been reopened, but the Board has denied both claims due to lack of evidence linking current conditions to service. The case is remanded for further examination regarding lumbosacral strain.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for sleep apnea, PTSD including depression, and GERD have been denied. The Veteran was not granted any increase in ratings during the period of appeal.,For the period prior to April 3, 2015, the Veteran’s sleep apnea did not require a breathing assistance device such as CPAP, thus preventing him from receiving a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether the OSA is proximately due to or aggravated by his psychiatric condition.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder. The decision resolves doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has found pre-decisional errors in the denial of service connection for various conditions and has ordered remand to obtain necessary examinations and opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examinations and insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea. The Veteran's claim for service connection is being sent back for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for depression and obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected disabilities due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has granted service connection for narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during her military service. The headache issue is remanded due to conflicting evidence regarding its impact on employment.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for left knee disability, lumbosacral spine osteoarthritis, and left shoulder osteoarthritis. The claim for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to PTSD is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, specifically whether it is related to his service-connected PTSD or any other condition. The Veteran must be scheduled for a VA examination to evaluate these issues.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to in-service herbicide exposure or secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for brain disease due to trauma, PTSD, major depressive disorder, shoulder pain, bilateral knee condition, emphysema with asthma, and sleep apnea have been remanded by the Board.,The appeals are currently pending before the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service-connected PTSD and has granted service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, finding that there was no evidence of actual aggravation of the sleep apnea beyond its natural progression.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability and there was no evidence of an in-service injury or illness. The Board also found that there is no causal relationship between GERD (service-connected) and sleep apnea.,The Board remanded the issue of service connection for left knee disability secondary to right ankle sprain, as VA-developed medical evidence had not been addressed.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to be the primary cause of his hypertension, heart disorder (Long QT Syndrome), and obstructive sleep apnea. The Board grants these claims as secondary to PTSD.