Sleep apnea decisions — 2021

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU based on service-connected disabilities, finding that her combined disability rating did not meet the schedular requirements and that an extraschedular rating was not warranted.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating and earlier effective date for Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits has been dismissed as he requested to withdraw the issues on appeal.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease is related to an in-service injury, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The appeal regarding sleep apnea is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases of CFS, sleep apnea, and GERD due to issues with obtaining medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea, a psychiatric disability other than PTSD to include a bipolar disability, and a low sperm count. The appeal for vision impairment was also dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the case.

The claims for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea, left shoulder disability, neck disability, and acquired psychiatric disability have been granted.

The Board has denied service connection for emphysema, heart disability, obstructive sleep apnea, psychiatric disability (including anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)), memory loss, right shoulder and cervical spine disability, skin disability, and vertigo. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions on the issues of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension, hip condition, vitamin D deficiency, anemia, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, skin condition (psoriasis and eczema), thyroid condition, and sleep apnea due to potential secondary relationships with other service-connected conditions or obesity.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is granted as service-connected due to aggravation during service. The issue of allergic rhinitis has been rendered moot by a December 2019 rating decision granting the claim. Service connection for GERD and sleep apnea remains pending, with new evidence required. The Veteran's arthritis of the bilateral feet is also pending.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence and need for additional examination.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for night sweats, dizziness, subdural hematoma, a temporary total rating for a subdural hematoma, and increased ratings for right eye disabilities have been withdrawn. The appeal for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to incomplete opinions.

The Board has remanded several issues for further examination and opinion, including sinusitis, PTSD, vertigo, an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD), sleep apnea, and problems breathing. The claims are not currently decided on the merits.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disability and sleep apnea due to inadequate medical opinions and incomplete development of records.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it did not have its inception during active service and is not causally related to his active service or a service-connected disability.

The Board denied service connection for gallbladder removal and sleep apnea, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's service or any service-connected disabilities. The rating for unspecified depressive disorder was dismissed due to withdrawal of appeal.

The Board has found that there was not substantial compliance with the prior remand directives and has therefore remanded both issues for further development, including requesting additional private treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, asthma, and sleep apnea. The claim for COPD is remanded due to potential TCE exposure. The claims for right foot disability and left foot disability are also remanded.,Service connection was not granted for the Veteran's claimed conditions as they were not found related to his service or any other compensable basis.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran contends that his OSA is related to active service, including presumed exposure to herbicide agents like Agent Orange. However, the VA examiner's opinion was deemed insufficient and incomplete.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to be proximately related to his service-connected PTSD, and the claim for service connection is granted.