Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen his claims for service connection for PTSD, depression with sleep impairment, and sleep apnea. The claim for hypertension was denied as no additional evidence related to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new evidence and need for additional opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and consideration. Specifically, additional records are needed from private providers, a VA examination is required to determine if an acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service, and another opinion is needed regarding whether sleep apnea is secondary to any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's OSA and COPD have been granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected UDD.,Service connection for diabetes and ED has been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that his current obstructive sleep apnea did not manifest during active service and is not otherwise causally or etiologically related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further examination. The issues include anxiety disorder, PTSD, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, bronchitis, and precancerous skin lesions on head and ears.

The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, gout in the feet and hands, sleep apnea, and hypertension (high blood pressure) as there was no evidence of a current disability or link to active service.,There is no medical evidence linking any of these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its relation to military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disability and PTSD, as well as his requests for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain, right shoulder pain syndrome, and left shoulder strain have all been denied. The appeal is also remanded for further action on several other issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives regarding the service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's claim is being returned for further development and consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea likely began during his active service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for migraine headaches, high blood pressure (hypertension), right knee disability, and obstructive sleep apnea due to a failure in VA's duty to assist. The case is being sent back for additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea and PTSD, effective February 24, 2015. The Veteran's claims were previously denied but reopened in February 2015.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis related to his service connection claim for a left hand condition. The claims for PTSD, lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, bilateral knee degenerative joint disease, bilateral foot conditions, Type II diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, sleep apnea, TDIU, and special monthly compensation are all remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected anxiety disorder.,The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted as secondary to his service-connected anxiety disorder.,The Veteran's PTSD is granted based on a credible in-service stressor.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a VA medical examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis with spondylolisthesis, as well as right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, sleep apnea, and foot fungus condition are granted. The lumbar spine disorder is found to be secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee impairment. Service connection for sleep apnea is established as it preexisted the Veteran's final period of active duty but worsened during that time. The foot fungus condition began during active service.

The application to reopen the claim for service connection for a lumbosacral strain with DDD was denied. The Veteran's new and material evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate this claim.,The application to reopen the claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted. New evidence related to an unestablished fact (a nexus between the claimed disability and service) that supported reopening of the claim.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a bilateral eye disorder is dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder.