Sleep apnea decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service, specifically Agent Orange exposure or his service-connected prostate cancer.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the issues of service connection for a breathing disorder, including as due to service in Southwest Asia, and hypertension, including as secondary to PTSD and service in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea and PTSD have been granted. The initial disability rating for PTSD prior to January 21, 2021 is granted at 70 percent, but a higher rating in excess of this level is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to sleep apnea, including its relationship to service-connected conditions and a possible nasal fracture. Additional evidence is needed for proper evaluation.

The Veteran's right foot disability is being remanded for further development.,Service connection has been granted for hypertension, a right hip disability, and obstructive sleep apnea.,An issue regarding the Veteran's right foot disability remains unresolved and will be returned to the RO for additional review.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran's heart disability, hypertension, diabetes, varicose veins of the bilateral lower extremities, and deep venous thrombosis are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, sleep apnea (secondary to PTSD), and trigeminal neuralgia (secondary to herbicide exposure). This includes verifying his combat experiences in Vietnam and Korea, scheduling a VA examination for PTSD, obtaining medical records for sleep apnea, and examining the Veteran for trigeminal neuralgia.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, but the issues of earlier effective dates for PTSD and TDIU are remanded. The Veteran's OSA and radiculopathy claims are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for sleep apnea, as Gulf War exposures, due to inadequate examination and lack of substantial compliance with previous remands. The case is returned for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a thyroid disability was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted, but the Veteran does not meet the criteria for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent.,Service connection for gout is denied as there is no evidence it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a back disability is denied due to lack of evidence that it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a prostate disability is denied as there is no evidence it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a kidney disability is denied as there is no evidence it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a left ankle disability is denied due to lack of evidence that it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a right knee disability is denied due to lack of evidence that it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for headaches and obstructive sleep apnea are granted as they are caused by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.,Effective dates prior to July 9, 2015, for bilateral hearing loss and left knee osteoarthritis are denied.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 60 percent prior to July 22, 2019 was denied. However, the Veteran was granted a 100 percent rating as of July 22, 2019 for his bronchial asthma with sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease/ischemic heart disease, peripheral neuropathy, skin disorder, hypertension, sleep apnea, and leg stents are denied as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure or direct service connection.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims for service connection, including sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric condition, a left knee condition, residuals of a left hamstring rupture, and a right ankle condition. The decision also notes that the Veteran was denied service connection for syncope.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for bipolar disorder, a skin condition (claimed as athlete's feet and dermatophytosis), and obstructive sleep apnea due to potential outstanding VA and private treatment records. Additionally, a medical opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to in-service events or diseases.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and further development is needed, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and providing a retrospective addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's left ankle disability during flare-ups.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has remanded them due to insufficient evidence of a nexus between his conditions and service. The case will be further developed regarding exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and residuals of right hand surgery (Dupuytren's disease), finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to active duty service.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and opinion regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for gastrointestinal disorder, hypertension, sleep apnea, and respiratory disorder due to asbestos exposure secondary to service-connected PTSD. Additional VA examinations were conducted in June 2019, but new evidence was not considered by the AOJ.