Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete information regarding his SSA income. The Board will verify the amount of his SSA benefits and request that he submit EVR and Medical Expense Reports for the specified period.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service. The evidence did not support a diagnosis of sleep apnea during active duty and the medical literature did not support an etiological link between dust storms and sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), finding that the Veteran's exposure to hazardous chemicals during service, including asbestos and other materials on board ships, is related to his current conditions.,Both conditions were found to be directly related to service due to the conceded exposure to hazardous substances.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, scars status-post heart surgery, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have all been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam or any other area where herbicide exposure was presumed, and there is no evidence linking his current conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. An addendum opinion is needed to determine if the condition is related to his military service.

The Veteran's persistent depressive disorder is granted as service-connected. The claims for initial compensable rating for right knee osteoma, service connection for a right knee disorder other than right knee osteoma (specifically, sleep apnea), and service connection for skin disorders, headaches, and diabetes mellitus are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's service connection claims for congestive heart failure, sleep apnea, headaches, and high blood pressure have all been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.,Service connection has also not been granted for spinal stenosis, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of December 31, 2012 for the award of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran's claim to reopen his previously denied claim was received on that date.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during his active duty service and resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Board has found that the Veteran's current diagnoses of sleep apnea and tinnitus do not have a direct relationship to her military service or any other service-connected disability. The appeal for service connection for sleep apnea is denied, while the issue of service connection for tinnitus is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for major depressive disorder as secondary to eczema and other service-connected disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's hypertension is being evaluated for potential aggravation by his service-connected cardiomyopathy, status post heart transplant. His sleep apnea claim will also be reviewed for potential aggravation.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for residuals of sinus surgery, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, obstructive sleep apnea, and asthma as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea, asthma, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to potential errors in the initial decision and need for further development.

The Board has found new evidence relevant to the claim for service connection for OSA, but the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that OSA developed during or is related to service. The Veteran's headaches are not considered to be the cause or aggravation of his OSA.

The Board denied service connection for OSA, right knee disability, and left knee disability as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, nor does the evidence show that he is unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment solely as a result of his service-connected disabilities. The Board denied entitlement to TDIU, including on an extraschedular basis.

The appeal seeking service connection for recurrent ingrown toenails, a rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain, and an earlier effective date prior to July 7, 2017 for the grant of service connection for Ewing’s sarcoma is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded due to ambiguities in his periods of active duty and the status of his diagnosis.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea may be related to his service-connected PTSD, and thus remands for further development.