Sleep apnea decisions — 2022

The Board denied service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as there is no evidence that the condition was incurred or aggravated during military service.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).,All four claims were reopened due to the submission of new evidence that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for sleep apnea due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded as there are unresolved issues regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate etiology opinions and need for new examinations. The Veteran's OSA is being reviewed again to determine if it was incurred in service or caused by his PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder strain, low back condition (lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the spine, intervertebral disc syndrome), and chronic headaches.,Service connection is also granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that a remand is required to obtain an independent medical opinion regarding the onset and causation of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, including whether it is related to service-connected PTSD or obesity.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and type II diabetes mellitus are granted as secondary to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder. The rating for left elbow osteoarthritis is remanded.

The Board has found the VA medical opinions inadequate and remanded for further development, including obtaining new opinions regarding the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and its relationship to his service-connected PTSD and diabetes mellitus II.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, OSA, and hemorrhoids due to insufficient examination reports. The AOJ is instructed to review additional evidence added since the February 2021 supplemental statement of the case.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a direct or secondary relationship to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected chronic sinusitis and/or rhinitis, and thus grants service connection for this condition as secondary to those disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Costochondritis, and Asthma were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria to warrant readjudication. The costochondritis claim was also denied due to lack of a causal relationship with service.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as incurred in service.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus claim, related to herbicide exposure, is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) records and conducting a VA examination to assess the Veteran's occupational/functional impairment due to his service-connected disabilities prior to September 5, 2020.

The Board has granted service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome, but denied service connection for a respiratory disorder other than COPD and sleep apnea. The Veteran's right carpal tunnel syndrome is considered a medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness (MUCMI) that manifested to a degree of 10 percent or more and existed for at least six months.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and reasoning regarding the Veteran's sleep disorders, specifically sleep apnea. The examiner was asked to address whether it is at least as likely as not that any of the Veteran's diagnosed disabilities were connected to service, including considering his reported symptoms during service and lay statements.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and its relationship to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inaccurate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's visual field disability and its relation to service. A new medical opinion is needed to address the Veteran's complaints of diplopia shortly after his left orbital fracture in December 2002.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine and sleep apnea have been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for diabetes mellitus due to lack of a causal relationship established by VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination of the Veteran's sleep apnea, as it has been over six years since his last examination and he reported worsening symptoms.