Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea and hemorrhoids due to insufficient medical opinions regarding secondary service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain due to insufficient information in previous medical opinions. The Veteran's current back disability may be related to his active service, including parachute jumps and a left foot injury.

The Board has denied a higher disability rating for PTSD and granted an earlier effective date of November 12, 2014 for the initial award of service connection for PTSD. The appeal is remanded to determine if the Veteran should be awarded a disability rating for sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and failure to obtain records from the Ochsner Clinic. The Veteran's symptoms of snoring, gasping for air, and daytime fatigue are noted as having continued since service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of the effect of the Veteran's PTSD medications on his sleep apnea. The case will be returned for further development and an addendum opinion.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations, as well as obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration records. The Veteran is also being asked to provide private medical records from Cleveland Clinic.

The Board has remanded the cases of PTSD and obstructive sleep apnea for further development due to the failure to issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) considering additional evidence.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability, granted service connection for asthma secondary to obstructive sleep apnea, and granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to depression.

The Veteran's back disability, including lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the spine, and intervertebral disc syndrome, was rated at 40% prior to October 10, 2019. The claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of a bilateral knee disability. The Veteran's claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to provide an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's OSA is secondary to his service-connected asthma. The AOJ will obtain a medical opinion and consider new evidence before deciding on the claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to pre-decisional errors in verifying herbicide agent exposure and obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between sleep apnea and service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a back disability, eczema, and bilateral foot disability due to procedural errors in the April 2019 decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability and sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examinations and opinions to address his sleep apnea, cataracts, and other eye conditions. The issues of service connection for sleep apnea due to diabetes mellitus and a compensable rating for bilateral cataracts are being reviewed.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's OSA is secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The Veteran will need a VA examination and opinion from a physician qualified to diagnose sleep disorders.

The Board has determined that the remand instructions were not fully followed and thus requires another examination to address the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, its onset during service, and whether it is aggravated by his PTSD.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea disorder with CPAP and granted it, finding that there is at least a reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran's claim. The evidence shows that the Veteran experienced symptoms related to sleep apnea during his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, which is secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder, was denied. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was also denied as not meeting the criteria for an initial compensable rating prior to September 27, 2019 and in excess of 10 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of the regular aid and attendance of another person, warranting special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance.