Sleep apnea decisions — 2021

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for deviated septum, coronary artery disease, and sleep apnea. The underlying merits of these claims are remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete VA etiology opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected asthma and/or GERD. The Veteran needs a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed condition.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and remanded the issues of service connection for sarcoidosis, a lung disability separate from sarcoidosis, heart disorders, and kidney disabilities.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his claims.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for his lumbosacral spine strain, claimed as back condition, is remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and a more contemporaneous examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it began during active service and is related to his weight gain.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found to be proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected conditions of acute, subacute, or old myocardial infarction with coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, type II. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea and xerosis are at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims for obstructive sleep apnea, fibromyalgia, generalized muscle weakness and aching (including as due to an undiagnosed illness), respiratory disorder, and body rashes (including as due to an undiagnosed illness) due to insufficient development of evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and evaluations to determine the nature, severity, and etiology of her claimed conditions. The issues include service connection for bilateral hearing loss, evaluation of low back disability, migraine headaches, and hypothyroidism.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 18, 2007. The Board granted entitlement to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis effective from May 18, 2007.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to the lack of evidence showing a link between current symptoms and military service. The claims for higher staged ratings for left knee disorder, right hip disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, migraine headaches, and hypertension are remanded as additional development is needed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, TMJ disorder, hypertension, and respiratory disorder due to new evidence received since the last final denial.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a left shoulder disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support these conditions being related to his military service or service-connected disorders.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's service treatment records and to clarify his reported in-service hospitalization. The claims for service connection are therefore being remanded.

The Board has remanded the claim for sleep apnea as secondary to a service-connected headache disability due to insufficient medical opinions and lack of relevant treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, lumbosacral strain, bilateral shoulder strain, and left hand disability manifested by pain. The Veteran's continuous back, bilateral shoulder, and left hand pain symptoms since separation from service are considered.,Service connection is also granted for the aggravation of a pre-existing bilateral pes planus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's rating for his lumbosacral spine disability was increased to 20 percent from December 17, 2019 to October 27, 2020. The appeal is denied for a higher rating thereafter.