Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The appeal to reopen claims for service connection of PTSD, OSA, and low back disability is granted.,The appeals to reopen claims for service connection of right carpal tunnel syndrome, left carpal tunnel syndrome, anemia, tenosynovitis, and OSA are remanded. The claim to reopen service connection for a low back disability remains on appeal.,Service connection for hypertension is granted from the date last worked in November 2012.

The Board has remanded the claims for major depressive disorder and sleep apnea with asthma due to insufficient evidence or procedural issues. The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hypertension, finding that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether OSA was caused or aggravated by hypertension.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for sleep apnea as there is insufficient competent medical evidence in the record to make a decision on the claim. The Veteran needs to undergo a VA examination to determine if his sleep apnea was incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, residuals of a cold injury of the hands, and bilateral foot disorders due to incomplete examination reports. The Veteran is presumed sound upon entry into service but his PFB was not aggravated by active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for low back, right knee, and right hip disabilities. The low back disability is related to in-service injury. The right knee disability is related to military service as it was aggravated by a pre-existing condition during service. The right hip disability is secondary to the right knee disability.

The Veteran's OSA and left Achilles Tendonitis have been granted service connection. The claim for respiratory symptoms has been remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia and remanded the issues of increased ratings for right knee strain, left knee strain, and lumbosacral strain. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for secondary service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected PTSD and back disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board is remanding them to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his low back pain, OSA, and right ankle disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examinations and insufficient consideration of relevant evidence. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of bilateral lower extremity cellulitis, bilateral hip arthritis, and throat polyps. The Veteran is also granted an increased rating for his prostatitis with BPH.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain has also been denied, with the Board finding that his current 10% rating is appropriate based on the examination findings and medical records.

The appeals for service connection for bilateral cataracts, prostate cancer, and tinnitus have been dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for carpal tunnel syndrome of the left upper extremity and right upper extremity.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than January 20, 2012 for the grant of service connection for lumbar spine disability and for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and major depressive disorder) were both denied. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a finding of service connection for either condition.

The Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of current bilateral hearing loss disability.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected sinusitis with headaches is granted. The Board resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claims for cervical spine, right upper extremity nerve, obstructive sleep apnea, and tinnitus disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for traumatic brain injury (TBI) is remanded as there is conflicting evidence regarding whether it was incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an incomplete examination, requiring a new opinion on whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service.

The Board has decided that service connection for sleep apnea is granted, but the left hip strain claim needs further examination and a new opinion.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hiatal hernia with GERD, bilateral shin splints, allergic rhinitis, hypertension, hemorrhoids, right wrist sprain, left wrist sprain, thoracolumbar spine disability, and bilateral pes planus were granted effective July 1, 2016. Claims for other conditions are denied as they were not received within one year of separation from service.