Sleep apnea decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea and low back strain, but has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral wrist disability, nasal disability, and initial compensable rating for hypertension. The Veteran's dermatitis case is also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disk disease and foraminal narrowing was denied. The appeal for TDIU based on the same disability was also dismissed as moot due to the grant of a total schedular (100%) disability rating.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of nasal trauma, claimed as a nose fracture. The Veteran's contentions were not supported by medical evidence and he has not shown the ability to diagnose his own condition.,Service connection was also denied for sleep apnea. The opinion stated that there is no cause and effect relationship between depression and sleep apnea, and the Veteran’s current severity of sleep apnea does not exceed what it would be without any service-connected disability.,The Board found insufficient evidence to support a finding that diverticulitis/diverticulosis and colitis are related to active service or events therein. The opinion stated that there is no established medical nexus for any aggravation due to the service-connected mood disorder.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine degenerative joint disease is rated at 10 percent, but the Board has remanded for further evaluation due to limited range of motion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of OSA, finding that it was not incurred in service and is not related to a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected unspecified depressive disorder. The claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis/osteoarthritis is remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and sleep apnea, but remanded these issues due to insufficient evidence regarding the in-service stressor.,Service connection is also being remanded for hypertension as it is inextricably intertwined with the PTSD and sleep apnea claims.

The Board has denied service connection for gout, arthralgia, and OSA. The claims for these conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The appellant withdrew all his current appeals, including those for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for various conditions. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the appellant's sleep apnea is related to his service-connected PTSD or developed during active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the etiology of his OSA.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is either caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for gynecological disorders and sleep apnea, as they are related to her military service. The case will be reviewed by a medical professional to provide clear opinions on whether any preexisting conditions worsened during service or if new conditions were incurred.

The petition to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for low back disability is granted. The Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and a TDIU are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea had its onset during service and is related to his obesity, which was present at the time of his separation from active duty. As a result, the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted.

The Veteran's service connection for type II diabetes mellitus is granted. The claims for increased disability rating for left knee, bilateral hip condition and neurocognitive disorder are remanded due to new evidence added to the record. Service connection for diastolic heart failure, hypertension, asthma, COPD and sleep apnea, as well as bilateral hearing loss and seizure disorder are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to incomplete records and the need for further medical examinations.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for hypertension has been remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding presumed exposure to herbicides during service.,The Veteran's claim for peripheral neuropathy, OSA, and peripheral artery disease secondary to diabetes mellitus type II has been remanded for further development.,The Veteran's claim for initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been remanded due to the need for a VA examination.,reasoning

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between his current OSA and either his military service or his service-connected PTSD. The left ankle sprain issue is remanded due to inadequate examination.