Sleep apnea decisions — 2022

A rating in excess of 20 percent for a left shoulder disability and a rating in excess of 50 percent for sleep apnea have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's major depressive disorder is now rated at 100 percent since April 30, 2012. This also grants special monthly compensation based on housebound criteria and basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance.

The Board denied service connection for various knee, wrist, ankle, and lumbosacral disabilities. Service connection was granted for eczema and bilateral eye keratoconus. Migraine headaches were presumed to be incurred in service.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found to be as likely as not attributable to his service-connected cervical intervertebral disc syndrome status post surgeries, which began during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether sleep apnea is related to service or secondary to PTSD with depression.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates are dismissed. The Board finds in favor of the Veteran on his claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea may have started during his service, but needs further examination to confirm this. The case is sent back for a VA medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of various conditions, including lung abnormality and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's Obstructive Sleep Apnea is determined to be caused by his service-connected Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and thus granted service connection on a secondary basis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee disability, OSA, and ED due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a skin disorder, sleep disorder, and gastrointestinal disorder due to inadequate medical opinions addressing secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, GERD, Barrett's esophagus, back disability, and bilateral hand/finger disability due to incomplete service records and inconsistencies in medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a bilateral knee disability, including as secondary to a left ankle sprain, has been reopened and granted. The claim for sleep apnea has also been granted.,Evidence shows that the Veteran had symptoms of sleep apnea during service and was eventually diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea in 2013.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence. The hearing on his bilateral hearing loss claim is also remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it was neither incurred in nor related to active service or secondary to a service-connected disorder.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The Board found the Veteran's lumbosacral strain, bilateral knee, and left foot disabilities worsened since a previous examination in August 2017, necessitating a new VA examination to determine their current severity. The pseudofolliculitis barbae issue is also remanded for clarification of its history and treatment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, anxiety disorder, sleep apnea with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, scars, tinnitus, history of basal cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of service-connected disabilities prior to November 24, 2008. As such, the Veteran is granted an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss effective from October 31, 2002, and entitlement to a TDIU prior to that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused by or related to his service-connected rhinitis, and thus grants service connection for OSA as secondary to rhinitis.

The Board denied service connection for right knee strain, left knee strain, hypertension, heart disability (Atrial Fibrillation and AICD), and low back disorder.,There is no evidence of chronic conditions in service or within the applicable presumptive period. The Veteran's current diagnoses are not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient development of evidence, particularly regarding private healthcare providers who have treated the Veteran for his disabilities.