Sleep apnea decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran is seeking an increase in his disability rating for lumbosacral strain, which was previously denied by a July 2012 rating decision. He also seeks service connection for a neck disability that he contends is related to his service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease and osteoarthritis of his lumbosacral and thoracic spine.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional medical opinions regarding his sleep apnea and its relationship to his service-connected conditions, specifically epilepsy, adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for left knee pain was denied, with the Board finding that his disability did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.,The issue of service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to insufficient evidence and need for an addendum opinion.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea or sleep disturbance had a relationship to herbicide exposure and diabetes.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae was denied as the condition does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for AIDS, meningitis, and Rosai-Dorfman disease with anemia are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea is granted as the evidence is at least in equipoise that his current condition had its onset during active duty.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, right elbow disability, and OSA due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's sleep disorder began in or is related to his active service.

The Board denied service connection for chest pain, including costochondritis, as the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that it began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service disease, injury, or event.,The Board remanded issues regarding cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and left foot and ankle disabilities for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with disc herniation and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, both found to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded as there are insufficient medical opinions addressing whether it is secondary to obesity resulting from a service-connected disability.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims for various conditions, including post-polio syndrome and its secondary effects, due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there is no evidence of a link between his current diagnosis and active service. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for right and left wrist disabilities are remanded due to the failure to issue a Statement of the Case.

The Board has remanded the issue of TDIU prior to September 7, 2010 on an extraschedular basis for further action by the Director, Compensation Service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not show the Veteran met the criteria for entitlement to this benefit prior to September 17, 2013.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for further examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for stable angina due to exposure to herbicide agents is granted. The claims for service connection for sleep apnea and nonmelanoma skin cancer are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his active service and his current diagnosis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, headaches, and left ring finger injury due to incomplete development. The Veteran's claim of CUE in the March 2015 rating decision is denied.

The Board has denied service connection for a sleep disorder, including obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the issue of service connection for a left wrist disability, including De Quervain's tenosynovitis. The Veteran is required to provide additional evidence or information regarding his claims.