Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, chronic pain in joints, and PTSD is denied as the evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to service.,Service connection was not granted for chronic pain in joints due to lack of evidence showing a current disability related to service. The Veteran had complaints of neck stiffness but no diagnosed condition.,PTSD was not granted because there is insufficient credible supporting evidence for the claimed stressor.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, leading to a TDIU rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right shoulder disability and has remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to additional development being required.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for an additional medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's PTSD or medication for PTSD caused his obesity, which subsequently resulted in sleep apnea.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for PTSD, headaches, and obstructive sleep apnea due to a lack of proper notification regarding scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no link between his current condition and his military service or any service-connected disability. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran’s OSA was caused by his military service or secondary to his service-connected chronic sinusitis and major depressive disorder.

The Board has ordered a remand for the Veteran's low back disability due to conflicting findings in previous examinations and the need for more detailed information regarding flare-ups.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, chronic headaches, and sleep apnea due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his service-connected diabetes mellitus, as well as whether obesity caused or aggravated the Veteran's sleep apnea.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including right and left foot disabilities, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, sleep apnea, heart disability, and cervical spine disability. The Veteran's assertions were not supported by medical evidence or credible supporting statements.,No current diagnoses of these conditions have been established in the record.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine was denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within the applicable presumptive period.,Service connection for multiple sclerosis was remanded due to insufficient reasoning regarding potential early manifestations of optic neuritis.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error, and he needs an examination to determine his eligibility for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from October 10, 2019 due to his service-connected disabilities. Prior to this date, the evidence did not show he could secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection as they are related to his active duty service. The lumbosacral strain, bilateral foot disability, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service-connected bilateral heel spurs, and thus grants the claim for secondary service connection.

The Veteran's request for self-employment assistance through Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) was granted. The decision found that the Veteran has a serious employment handicap due to his service-connected disabilities, which necessitated selection of self-employment as the only reasonably feasible vocational goal.

The Board has found that the Veteran's sleep apnea claim requires additional development due to missing VA records and inadequate medical opinions. The case is being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that this rating is appropriate based on his symptoms of constant low back pain with mild tenderness to palpation.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD should be remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The VA examiner needs to provide an opinion on whether the current sleep apnea was caused by or aggravated by the service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis began during his military service.