Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea and a heart disorder. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for either condition as there is no evidence that they began during his military service or are otherwise related.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, lumbosacral strain rating, and TDIU due to outstanding VA treatment records and private treatment records. The Veteran needs to be provided with a VA examination to determine if his cervical spine disability is related to service or secondary to his lumbosacral strain.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as it is not related to the Veteran's military service or any service-connected disability, including diabetes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's active service from November 1986 to July 1987 is not a bar to benefits. The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and preparing an addendum opinion by another examiner.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea. The Veteran is seeking service connection for this condition, and a new medical opinion is needed to address whether it had its onset during active duty or is otherwise related to his service.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, and his nose injury residuals are unrelated to service.,The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran's COPD is not related to service.,The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran’s cervical spine (neck) disability is not related to service.,The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran’s lumbar spine (low back) disability is not related to service.,The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran’s rheumatoid arthritis is not related to service.,The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of acute febrile illness, and his left lower extremity scarring due to MRSA infection is not related to service.,The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran’s sleep disability (OSA and chronic insomnia) is subsumed under his service-connected PTSD diagnosis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to inadequate development in previous examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected hypothyroidism, finding that there is no evidence of a causal link between the two conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is not related to an in-service event or injury and is not caused by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for a deviated septum is denied, and the claim of a compensable rating remains pending.

The Board has remanded the claims for COPD, pulmonary vascular disease, and right upper lung resection due to lung cancer as they are related to service. The claim for sleep apnea remains denied.

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

The Veteran's deviated septum, OSA, right foot plantar fasciitis, and left foot plantar fasciitis are all granted as service-connected.,Service connection for atrial fibrillation is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is not related to service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues, including increased ratings for PTSD and tinnitus, a TDIU determination, service connection claims, and effective date determinations. The Board found that the Veteran submitted a timely substantive appeal to the January 2015 Statements of the Case (SOCs).

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for his sleep apnea, chronic bronchitis, asthma, COPD, and allergic bronchospasm was denied. The current assigned rating of 60 percent is deemed insufficient.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an addendum medical opinion regarding whether service-connected PTSD, diabetes, and heart disease aggravated or caused the Veteran's obesity, which in turn may have led to sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, tension headaches, and sleep apnea due to incomplete medical opinions and lack of consideration of the Veteran's lay statements.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted on an extraschedular basis beginning May 6, 2011. The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment since then.