Sleep apnea decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, as the Veteran's private treatment records from before 2012 are needed.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's respiratory disability, sinusitis, and vasomotor rhinitis. The VA examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether these conditions are related to active duty service.

The Board has decided one issue on appeal and remanded the remaining issues for further development. Additional development is necessary, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete examination and need for further evaluation of the Veteran's sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for a heart condition, to include coronary artery disease, on a presumptive basis due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service. Service connection was denied for sleep apnea and testicular cancer.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is granted as service connected, and OSA is denied.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused by his service or secondary to his service-connected PTSD. As such, the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition and sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence of record. The Veteran is required to be afforded VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including exposure during service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Board denied service connection for emphysema, COPD, residuals of high fever to include a compromised immune system, OSA, and hypertension as the evidence did not support these claims.,Service connection was not granted because there was no medical evidence linking any of these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and unverified stressors. The Veteran's right knee conditions, acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea/sleep disorder, and acid reflux/hiatal hernia are all being reviewed again.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability prior to June 15, 2020 was denied as the evidence did not show flexion limited to 60 degrees or less, combined range of motion of 120 degrees or less, or muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to result in an abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour. The claim for a higher rating from June 15, 2020 was denied as the evidence did not show unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service-connected PTSD or if it was caused by obesity, which may be aggravated by PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for OSA, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his in-service complaints and symptoms. The Board also denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, concluding that there was no evidence of a superimposed psychiatric disability during service.,Service connection for hypertension was denied as secondary to an acquired psychiatric condition due to insufficient evidence linking the condition to service.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to be related to his active duty service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has found that additional development is needed for the issues on appeal, including obtaining outstanding records and scheduling VA examinations. The Veteran's service-connected conditions of sinusitis, major depressive disorder, chondromalacia patella, right knee, and chronic lumbosacral strain/sprain are still under review.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the remaining issues, including service connection and rating claims related to sleep apnea, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's rosacea is granted secondary service connection and a 50% rating for status post fracture of the zygomatic arch with headaches is granted from September 28, 2010.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and evaluation, specifically requesting a VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's obesity and its relation to his service-connected disabilities, as well as whether his GERD is related to any of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and right knee osteoarthritis were granted. The claims for hypertension and diabetes were denied.