Sleep apnea decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the claims for hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. Additional development is needed.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for all issues, including service connection for sleep apnea and increased ratings for various conditions. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has denied service connection for skin disability, liver disability, right eye vision loss, and obstructive sleep apnea as there is no persuasive evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD aggravated his sleep apnea.

Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The issue of service connection for respiratory difficulties as due to Gulf War syndrome has been withdrawn by the Veteran through his authorized representative.,Service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, a functional gastrointestinal disorder, is granted.,Service connection for sleep apnea is remanded.,Service connection for hernia (claimed as abdominal discomfort) as secondary to irritable bowel syndrome is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been granted, as well as his claims for skin disorder (rosacea) and hypothyroidism. However, the issue of service connection for hypothyroidism is being remanded due to a lack of a VA examination.,Obstructive Sleep Apnea is found to be at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by weight gain resulting from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident during service and consequent service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination and reasoning provided by the VA examiner regarding the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran is requested to undergo a new examination to determine if his condition is related to active service, including military environmental exposure such as burn pits.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of their appeal.,Service connection granted for tinnitus, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective February 28, 2018. The Board has now determined that an earlier effective date of August 12, 2013 is warranted for the grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was incurred during service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal of the increased rating for her low back disability was dismissed because she did not file a timely substantive appeal in response to the June 2021 Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) that denied entitlement to an increased rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea disability began during his active service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea has been reopened, and the Board is remanding the case to schedule a VA examination.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused by his service-connected GERD, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition as secondary to his GERD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbosacral strain had its onset in service and is related to his active duty, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to new evidence and outstanding records. The issues of service connection, special monthly compensation (SMC), and education benefits are being deferred until the service connection issues are resolved.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's obesity, caused by his service-connected PTSD, serves as an intermediate step in causing his current condition. The decision also grants service connection for obesity as a result of PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The evidence is in approximate balance regarding whether PTSD caused or aggravated the Veteran's sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral plantar hyperkeratosis and lumbosacral strain due to outstanding private treatment records from the Veterans Choice program.