Sleep apnea decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for obstructive sleep apnea due to additional development being necessary, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether his current condition is related to service or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's asthma, hypertension, and sleep apnea are being remanded for further examination and opinion as the VA examiner did not consider whether these conditions may be related to herbicide exposure or service-connected disabilities.,The Board is requesting additional medical records and a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's diagnosed conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, impaired fasting glucose, high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia), sleep apnea, left hernia, and left groin pain have not been shown to be related to service.,Specifically, the evidence does not establish that these conditions began during or were otherwise caused by active service.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been granted service connection.,Service connection for a low back disability and migraine headache disability is remanded due to conflicting medical opinions.,Service connection for sleep apnea is remanded as the evidence does not clearly establish its onset in service or etiology.,Further examination and opinion are needed regarding obesity's role in the Veteran's sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and opinion regarding the relationship between OSA, PTSD, and active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right foot metatarsalgia, to include as secondary to a service-connected left foot condition, has been granted. The initial rating for PTSD has been increased to 70 percent, and the initial rating for lumbosacral strain has also been increased to 40 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for allergic rhinitis, but the claims for prostatitis, chronic sinusitis, and OSA are remanded due to incomplete records.

The Board has decided that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, including whether it is related to his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic right shoulder disability, claimed as right shoulder pain; dry eye syndrome; cataracts; and dental disability (teeth grinding) have been denied. The claim for service connection for lumbosacral spine disability has been reopened but not granted. The claim for service connection for hearing loss remains denied.

The Veteran's appeals regarding service connection for various conditions have been withdrawn and are dismissed. The Veteran also withdrew her appeal regarding whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for chronic herpes.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of May 29, 2009 for service-connected lumbosacral strain (back condition) is granted. The case is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the severity and any associated neurologic abnormalities such as urinary incontinence.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for hypertension and sleep apnea due to incomplete development regarding qualifications of VA examiners who have evaluated these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for DM2 and obstructive sleep apnea, finding insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between these conditions and his military service. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and its relationship to his service-connected PTSD. Additional medical records are needed, and an addendum opinion is required to address these issues.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to have been incurred in service, while his claims of obstructive sleep apnea and PTSD are not supported by the evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PFB is not related to service, as there was no evidence of a chronic condition during or after service. The current diagnosis of PFB is considered resolved without residuals.,Regarding the acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and/or depression, the Board found insufficient evidence linking these conditions to service. The Veteran's assertions about an in-service altercation are not supported by contemporaneous records.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA opinion regarding secondary service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran's claim is back before the Board for adjudication.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, rosacea/actinic keratosis, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities. The decision found that new and material evidence was not received to reopen these claims.

The Board denied service connection for ddd of the lumbosacral spine, osteoarthritis of the right knee, and osteoarthritis of the left knee due to lack of evidence showing a direct relationship between these conditions and service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, giving him the benefit of the doubt.