Sleep apnea decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and gastritis due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination. The SMC claim is also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to obtain an etiology opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected unspecified anxiety disorder caused or aggravated his claimed obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for sarcoidosis of the lungs and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to new and material evidence. The cases are remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no nexus between his current condition and his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's low back disability was initially rated at 10 percent from October 19, 2015, to March 28, 2022. Since then, a higher rating of 20 percent has been granted retroactively effective from May 17, 2018.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection for a headache disability are remanded.

Service connection for an eye disability, sleep apnea, and a left ankle disability is denied. The issues of service connection for these conditions are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his military service. The examiner needs to consider lay statements from fellow soldiers who observed the Veteran's symptoms during service and provide a rationale for their opinion or lack thereof.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition. The Board finds that remand is necessary to obtain a VA examination and additional private treatment records related to his lower back disability, bilateral shin splints, and left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and allergic rhinitis have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including back strain with degenerative joint disease, left lower extremity radiculopathy, PTSD, and sleep apnea, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since July 21, 2016. The Board has granted the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, to include as secondary to his service-connected coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type II, is being remanded due to the need for a new medical opinion addressing whether obesity caused or aggravated his sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea is not caused or aggravated by his mental health disability and is not otherwise related to service. The Veteran's hypertension does not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and sleep apnea. The remand includes obtaining verification of claimed stressors, scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disorders, and determining whether the Veteran's currently-diagnosed sleep apnea is related to his active-duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and a need for further development of records, including service treatment records and military personnel records. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered on its merits.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction, sinusitis, and obstructive sleep apnea are granted. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and back disability are remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the cases of sleep apnea, hypertension, and acid reflux for further development to determine their etiology and whether they are related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and considering his claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to November 4, 2021, and in excess of 40 percent thereafter for a back disorder, and entitlement to total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The remand requires additional development including obtaining an adequate VA examination opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his knee and back conditions, have resulted in a loss of use of his lower extremities, affecting balance and propulsion. The Board has determined that he is eligible for specially adapted housing due to the severity of these conditions.