Sleep apnea decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,Service connection has been granted for bilateral eustachian tube dysfunction, prostate cancer, sleep apnea, right hand keloid scar, gum disease, and athlete's foot.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, specifically whether it is related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The case is being remanded for additional medical inquiry and an addendum opinion regarding the claim of entitlement to service connection for a sleep disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional examination findings regarding the Veteran's lumbosacral strain.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during his active duty and are related to his current condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical spine disability and sleep apnea due to insufficient opinions from previous VA examiners. The Veteran's lay testimony regarding in-service injuries and symptoms will be considered.

The Veteran's claims for cervical spine disorder, eye disorder (secondary to TBI), bilateral hearing loss (secondary to TBI), and obstructive sleep apnea are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for OSA was denied, and his increased rating for hypothyroidism since December 10, 2017 was granted. The issue of an earlier effective date for TDIU prior to June 17, 2010 remains in remand status.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his back and neck disabilities has been granted. For the period from October 8, 2015 to June 12, 2016, he is entitled to a 40 percent rating for his back disability. For other periods, including from October 8, 2015 to February 9, 2020 and from April 1, 2020, the Veteran's claim was denied as his disabilities did not warrant a higher rating. The Veteran is also granted a 40 percent rating for his neck disability starting November 17, 2020.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to deficiencies in previous VA opinions and lack of contemporaneous medical records.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected thoracic spine compression deformity of T11-T12 with mild degenerative joint disease at that level, and also grants service connection for depressive disorder, not otherwise specified.

The Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea is denied as there was no in-service respiratory injury or disease, and the current condition is not causally related to service.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus as it manifested during service and has been continuously present since then. The Board finds that the Veteran's lay account of chronic tinnitus symptoms during service and continuous post-service symptoms are credible.,The Veteran's claim for other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder is granted based on his reported in-service exposure to weapons fire, which he contends caused his current condition. Service connection is also granted for major depressive disorder as the evidence does not support a link between this condition and service.,Service connection for major depressive disorder is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service.

The Board has decided the case in favor of the Veteran, finding that his obstructive sleep apnea may be secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disability and depression. However, due to insufficient evidence regarding obesity as an intermediate step between these conditions and the current disorder, the decision is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine condition (claimed as arthritis back condition) and obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's current conditions are found to have had their onset in-service, with the VA examiner finding continuity of symptoms.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (panic disorder, back disorder, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy) have made it impossible for him to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for further development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for sleep apnea as there is insufficient evidence in the record to determine if his current condition is related to service. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to address this issue.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and remanded the issue of service connection for OSA.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between his current condition and his active service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, posttraumatic stress disorder with depressive features, and tinnitus have been granted. The claim for service connection for hypertension has been remanded due to secondary service connection.