Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The claim for service connection for a back disability is reopened, but the appeal must be remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and records.

The Board denied the Veteran's applications to reopen claims for service connection for various conditions, including back disability, neck disability, PTSD, COPD, sleep apnea, and diabetes mellitus. The evidence did not show a relationship between these conditions and military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea had its onset during active duty service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for right knee disorder, sleep apnea, ovarian cyst, dermatitis/skin disorder of the face, and bone growth in mouth as there was no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder aggravates his obstructive sleep apnea and headaches, leading to a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for sleep apnea is granted. The Board finds that new and material evidence has been submitted, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. However, the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and bilateral pes planus with plantar fascial strain remains remanded as additional medical opinions are needed.

The Veteran's petitions to reopen the claims of service connection for a vision disorder, body rash, and back disorder have been dismissed. The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for left hand disorder has been granted.,The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for left knee disorder has been granted. The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for left foot disorder has been granted. The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for left ear hearing loss has been granted. The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for PFB has been granted.,The Veteran's petitions to reopen the claims of service connection for prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction have been remanded.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and IBS, finding that these conditions did not manifest in active duty service or are otherwise attributable to active duty service. The Board also found that the Veteran's sleep apnea is less likely as not related to his PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient consideration of continuity of symptomatology from service to present time and failure to consider a stressor event. The Veteran will be afforded VA examinations to address his remaining claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, which may be related to his military service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted, as the VA examiner found that it is less likely than not related to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for sleep apnea secondary to PTSD with adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood was also granted based on a private medical opinion.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a sleep disability and a bilateral foot disorder, to include swollen feet, were denied. The Veteran was granted service connection for his tinnitus-related sleep apnea but denied for the bilateral foot disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain substantially gainful employment during the periods of TDIU claims from July 29, 2013 to June 3, 2014, and from July 31, 2015 to October 18, 2016. From December 1, 2016 to March 1, 2017, the Veteran's combined disability rating was 90 percent, which rendered his TDIU claim moot due to the assignment of a 100 percent schedular rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service. The examiner needs to consider weight gain and obesity during service, as well as his complaints of snoring, fatigue, and apneic episodes.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease is currently rated at 20 percent, which reflects the severity of his condition as determined by VA examinations. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on current functional impairment.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, including whether it is secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

Your appeals concerning lower back condition, sleep apnea syndromes, bacterial pneumonia, DJD of the left shoulder, and DJD of the right shoulder have been dismissed as you withdrew your appeal.

The Veteran's back disability and right wrist disability are being remanded for further evaluation due to the need to determine if there are neurological complications associated with these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of his conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate medical opinions and a lack of substantial compliance with prior remand instructions.