Sleep apnea decisions — 2022

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable since October 25, 2017.,VA granted service connection for CAD due to presumed herbicide exposure in March 2012.,VA granted a TDIU effective October 25, 2017 based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.,VA denied a TDIU application from April 2010 to October 25, 2017.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea and its relationship to other service-connected disabilities. The AOJ is required to obtain an addendum opinion from a physician that addresses these issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors identified by the Court, including addressing whether sleep apnea is related to service-connected diabetes mellitus and in-service exposure to herbicide agents (PACT Act).

The Board has received a request from the Veteran to withdraw all appeals regarding his PTSD, sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. As a result, the appeals are dismissed.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for a heart condition, sleep apnea, DJD, and hypertension. The appeals are remanded for additional development regarding service connection for heart disease.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The claim for bronchitis was denied as the current level of disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. For hypertension, a 10 percent evaluation is granted from August 30, 2019 to September 1, 2020 and denied thereafter. A 10 percent evaluation is also granted for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine and levoscoliosis prior to September 2, 2020.

The Board vacated the November 18, 2021 decision denying service connection for the Veteran's cause of death due to new evidence submitted by the appellant. The appeal is now considered reopened and will be reconsidered.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the issue of secondary service connection for esophageal reflux with esophagitis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea has been granted, with the condition being considered secondary to migraine headaches.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened and is currently pending due to new evidence that raises the possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions caused or aggravated his obesity, which in turn may have contributed to his sleep apnea.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service-connected PTSD or any other in-service exposure. The claim will be reconsidered with additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sarcoidosis, a lung/respiratory disability (other than sarcoidosis), a heart disability, and a kidney disability due to insufficient evidence in previous decisions. The claims are being returned for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for both sleep apnea and heart disorder, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted an increased rating to 70%, and the cases for OSA, bilateral knee disability, and low back disability are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, gastrointestinal disability (hiatal hernia and GERD), and anemia due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's right and left arm disabilities are granted as service-connected. The claims for OSA, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension remain pending due to remand requirements.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for heart disease and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to insufficient development. The Veteran's heart disease was diagnosed in 2006, pre-existing his deployment to Afghanistan in 2009. The OSA diagnosis is from 2003, with a history of treatment prior to the 2009 deployment.

The Board denied service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as it was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and there is no evidence linking the condition to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as it did not have its onset during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease. The Board also found that the Veteran's OSA is not proximately due to or the result of, or aggravated beyond its natural progression by, service-connected disability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disorder, back injury, and sleep apnea due to incomplete development of evidence.