Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of an extraschedular evaluation. The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for leiomyosarcoma is pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple issues are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence, including treatment records and information regarding her reported stressors.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbosacral spine and his service. The claim will be returned for further development.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation, as these conditions may be related to his service-connected disabilities or due to other factors. The VA will need to obtain updated treatment records and provide new opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for IBS was granted. The claims for sleep apnea and gastrointestinal disorder (other than IBS) were denied.

A 70 percent rating for PTSD is granted as of June 5, 2014.,Service connection for PFB is granted.,Service connection for Sleep Apnea and Erectile Dysfunction due to PTSD is granted.,Service connection for Tinnitus is remanded.,Service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus (DMII) is remanded.,Entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his lumbosacral strain due to the need for additional evidence and examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea, heart disorder, and eye disorder due to exposure to hazardous chemicals during service. Additional development is needed to verify periods of active duty, obtain service treatment records, and determine if the Veteran was exposed to asbestos or other hazardous chemicals.

The Board has decided that further development is needed for the service connection claim for hypertension, including addressing secondary service connection with respect to PTSD, sleep apnea, and diabetes. The case is being remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and a medical opinion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected PTSD, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its relationship to a service-connected nasal fracture.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for sleep disorder to include sleep apnea, ulcerative colitis, and anemia. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is presumed due to acoustic trauma from his military service as a cannoneer in the United States Army, including while serving in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension. The case is being remanded to further develop evidence related to these issues.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for hepatitis C, loss of balance, chest numbness, right and left upper extremity disability, sleep apnea, COPD, sinusitis, ventral hernia, and a higher rating for the chest surgical scar.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma, asbestosis, COPD, OSA, and liver cancer due to asbestos exposure have been denied. The Board has also remanded the cases for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD and secondary depressive disorder was denied as the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher than 70 percent rating.,Service connection for sleep apnea was also denied because there is no evidence of its onset during service, it was not related to any other condition or event in service, and there is insufficient medical evidence linking it to PTSD.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and lumbosacral spine degenerative joint disease with disc protrusion are all denied initial ratings in excess of the currently assigned ratings.,Higher initial ratings for these conditions are not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has restored a 20 percent rating for scoliosis with lumbosacral strain, finding that the reduction from 20 percent to 10 percent was not proper due to lack of improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and incomplete information about his periods of active duty service. The claims will be reviewed again with additional development.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to assess his ability to work given his service-connected disabilities.