Sleep apnea decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and residuals of traumatic brain injury due to additional evidence added to the file by VA.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development regarding his service-connected lumbosacral strain, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, right shoulder impingement syndrome, and right lower extremity sciatica.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the claim of service connection for OSA, and thus denied the Veteran's request.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is dismissed. The petition to reopen a claim of service connection for vision loss is granted, but the issue remains remanded due to lack of nexus opinion. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found to be related to his service, specifically the exposure to burn pits during active duty. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for sleep apnea and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions. The Veteran's tumor of ear/brain is denied as there is no evidence it was incurred in or related to his military service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for right shoulder disability, left lower extremity neuropathy, and right lower extremity neuropathy. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, GERD, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA opinions regarding whether the Veteran's current sleep apnea is related to his military service. The Veteran must be provided with a new VA examination to address these issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is at least as likely as not related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has withdrawn the issues of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for a right long finger disability and entitlement to TDIU. The Veteran's pericallosal midline lipoma of the brain is granted with consideration of aggravation during service. Additional VA examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of the back disability, diplopia, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is at least as likely as not related to active duty service, including as secondary to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorders (PTSD and depression). As such, the claim for service connection for sleep apnea is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records and a need for clarification on whether the Veteran currently has a diagnosis of sleep apnea.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher evaluation for his lumbosacral degenerative disc disease, degenerative arthritis and spondylolisthesis of L5 on S1 was granted with an initial 20 percent rating prior to June 29, 2021. From that date onwards, the Veteran's condition does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and consideration of new evidence, including VA treatment records and Vet Center records.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and requires a new medical advisory opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, specifically whether it is related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, to include as due to a service-connected disability (PTSD or diabetes mellitus), should be remanded because the August 2021 VA examination is inadequate and does not address the effects of medications used to treat his service-connected disabilities on his sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for rhinitis, claimed as breathing condition, was denied.,New and relevant evidence has been received sufficient to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection of sleep apnea, to include as secondary to deviated nasal septum. The appeal is granted to this extent only.

The Veteran's central serous chorioretinopathy, left lower extremity neuropathy, and right lower extremity neuropathy are all found to have onset in service.,Obstructive sleep apnea is determined to have had its onset during active duty.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 28, 2016 for service connection for COPD with sleep apnea was denied. The Veteran's PTSD is now rated at 100% since August 30, 2015. Service connection for migraines is granted as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, back disability, neck disability, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury due to new evidence submitted. The cases are remanded for further development.