Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for his lumbar spine condition, as well as his hernia. The issues are related to whether these conditions are linked to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and secondary service connection for sleep apnea, finding no evidence that his current condition is related to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for service-connected lumbosacral strain effective April 5, 2010. The issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for the period from April 5, 2010, to May 27, 2016 is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss. The remaining issues of left knee, right knee, allergic rhinitis, sleep apnea, skin disability, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for periodontal disease and obstructive sleep apnea due to incomplete development and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board dismissed all the claims on appeal due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for sleep apnea, including as due to Camp LeJeune Contaminated Water exposure. The case is sent back for a VA examination and medical opinion that considers both in-service events and presumed CLCW exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his active duty service.

The Board has remanded multiple issues related to the Veteran's spine, knee, and foot disabilities. The TDIU claim is also added to the appeal.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain with myositis and has remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating is dismissed, while his claim for service connection for sleep apnea is granted.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea may be related to his active duty service and is remanding for further development.

The Veteran's neck disability was denied service connection due to lack of evidence linking the condition to his military service. His lumbosacral spine DJD received a 20% rating effective December 19, 2019.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disorder (anxiety disorder). The VA examiner found that there is no evidence of a pathophysiological relationship between the two conditions, and thus concluded that the Veteran’s sleep apnea is not due to or aggravated by his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for sleep apnea and prostate cancer due to exposure at Camp Lejeune or in Southwest Asia. The Veteran's claims will be reviewed with additional medical opinions provided.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain was granted a 10 percent rating, but no higher, prior to May 10, 2013. The claim for increased ratings beyond this period is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives regarding the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. A new addendum opinion is needed from a qualified examiner.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on all issues have been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the remaining claims of service connection for ischemic heart disease, necrotizing pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus type II, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is found to be incurred in service.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found to be caused by her service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings on several service-connected conditions, including right knee arthroscopy with chondromalacia, right knee scar status post arthroscopy, left knee osteoarthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), are remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other claims.