Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including PTSD, right foot disability, sleep apnea, headaches, lumbosacral spine disability, wrist disabilities, and erectile dysfunction. The Veteran's statements regarding in-service experiences are considered credible, but further medical examinations are needed to determine if these conditions are related to active service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his claims.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain, spondylolisthesis and spinal fusion, and for a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD. The appeal for service connection for left ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine condition, finding that there is at least equipoise evidence to support the claim. The current disability is related to an in-service injury.

The appeal of service connection for a bilateral elbow disorder is dismissed. Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there is no direct or secondary relationship between his current sleep apnea and his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new one must be conducted to determine if the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to their military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding its onset and relationship to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as her obstructive sleep apnea and asthma are rated under a single 50 percent disability rating, which is the most beneficial for her respiratory disorders. Separate evaluations for these conditions were not granted due to the binding nature of applicable statutory and regulatory provisions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error regarding the acquired psychiatric disorder claim. The Veteran's sister reported that she might have suffered from untreated depression and anxiety after giving birth while in service, and the Veteran herself reported having continued depression and irritability since then.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of a VA examination and insufficient evidence. The Veteran is presumed exposed to herbicide agents, but his bronchiectasis is not presumptively related to such exposure.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to burn pit exposure and sleep deprivation should be remanded for further action, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is granted, with an effective date of November 1, 2008.

Your claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been granted, and you are now receiving a 50% evaluation effective October 5, 2020. The appeal is dismissed as the benefits sought have already been fully granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding service connection, as well as for consideration of special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The examiner needs to clarify if PTSD caused or aggravated weight gain, which in turn led to the development of obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea and denied service connection for hiatal hernia. Sleep apnea is found to be etiologically related to the Veteran's service, while there is no evidence linking the hiatal hernia to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as it did not find a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate or incomplete examinations and unclear diagnoses. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is being evaluated again, and a VA examination is needed to determine if he has narcolepsy.

The Board has granted service connection for joint pain/shin splints and remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.