Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for tinnitus and obstructive sleep apnea to obtain additional medical opinions. The Veteran's service connection for these conditions is not in dispute, but further clarification on their etiology is needed.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea should be remanded due to new evidence submitted after the April 2016 Statement of the Case.

The Board has denied service connection for a nose disability and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as the evidence does not support that these conditions began during or are otherwise related to active military service.

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection for left knee mild osteoarthritis and unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress as they have been granted in a previous rating decision.,Service connection is granted for chronic sinusitis and obstructive sleep apnea, both of which are found to be related to active service.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the condition began during active duty and is related to it.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no direct evidence linking his current condition to his active service. The Board also found insufficient evidence supporting secondary service connection due to PTSD or shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral hearing loss are granted. The Veteran is awarded a compensable rating of 10 percent for his forehead scar status post laceration, but denied a higher rating or an increased disability evaluation. Service connection for vertigo and special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's sleep apnea, finding that it had its onset during active duty and continues to the present. The decision is based on evidence of record without any need for new or material evidence.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The opinion concludes that the Veteran’s sleep apnea is aggravated by his PTSD.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted, and his claims for sleep apnea, hepatitis C, high blood pressure, esophageal varices, cirrhosis, and gallstones are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence to support a relationship between his current condition and his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service or secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The examiner must provide an opinion on both direct and secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back disability, including chronic mechanical low back syndrome with degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, spondylolisthesis L5-S1 with associated bilateral spondylolysis, lumbar myositis, and intervertebral disc syndrome, is at least as likely as not related to service. As such, the claim for service connection has been granted.

The Veteran's sleep apnea, previously diagnosed as idiopathic hypersomnia, resulted in difficulty sleeping and daytime fatigue on or before August 26, 2012. The Board granted service connection for the condition with an effective date of August 26, 2012.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous directives for obtaining VA treatment records from Atlanta, Georgia.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left lower extremity radiculopathy and lumbosacral sprain with degenerative changes, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran is also required to provide updated treatment records and undergo a VA examination.

The Veteran's asthma is being remanded for a new examination to obtain the required DLC test results.,Service connection for COPD, allergic rhinitis, and GERD are all being remanded due to insufficient rationale in the previous opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the condition became manifest during active duty and is related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, erectile dysfunction, and sleep apnea. The decisions were based on a lack of evidence supporting these conditions as being incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including upper and lower jawbone loss, status post nasal cartilage fracture with anosmia, right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis with degenerative joint disease, left knee strain with degenerative arthritis, right knee strain and degenerative joint disease, and lumbosacral strain. The Board found the evidence did not support a service connection for these conditions.