Sleep apnea decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, sleep apnea, and neck disability are all granted. However, the claim for sleep apnea is denied due to lack of in-service onset or relationship.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate examination reports and other issues. The Veteran's claims for service connection for Meningioma and Sleep Apnea are currently pending.

The Board has denied an initial disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD. The issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and TBI have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and a skin disorder due to additional development being needed, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated by his active military service and is not related to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbosacral spine disability was denied, and the effective date for TDIU was established on May 22, 2012.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for DM, polymyalgia, and sleep apnea must be denied as there is no evidence of in-service disease or injury. The claims for left hip disability and right hip disability are remanded due to a lack of medical evidence showing current disabilities during the appeal period. The claim for service connection for left shoulder rotator cuff tear is also remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his active service, including as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. As such, service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have service connection for gout, COPD, sleep apnea, or glaucoma. The case is remanded to provide VA examinations and obtain a medical opinion.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings and earlier effective dates have been dismissed due to the legacy appeal system. The issues remain as part of the pending appeals under the Legacy Appeals System.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea were denied as there was no prior claim or entitlement to these conditions before April 27, 2016.

The Veteran's liver disorder, diagnosed as fatty liver disease, is granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected hypothyroidism with chronic obesity.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is remanded for further review due to insufficient medical opinion addressing the relationship between his service-connected condition and his current disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, which combined had an 80 percent rating with one individually rated at 50 percent, have not rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral plantar fasciitis, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his active service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for migraine headaches, sleep apnea, endometriosis, and thyroid condition due to inadequate VA opinions and insufficient evidence of a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and a higher rating were dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding cervical spine disability and other specified trauma and stress related disorder, and granted service connection for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities as secondary to his low back disability.

The Board has ordered a remand due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea. The case will be reviewed with an expert in sleep disorders to determine if OSA began during service or is related to medication for his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is granted as the Board finds that his symptoms of daytime somnolence and snoring during service, along with subsequent diagnosis of OSA, meet the criteria for service connection.