Sleep apnea decisions — 2022

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, heart condition, type II diabetes mellitus, chronic fatigue syndrome and sleep apnea as the evidence did not show these conditions were related to service or any presumptive exposure.,There is no credible evidence showing that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's OSA is more likely than not caused by his service-connected PTSD, and therefore grants service connection for OSA as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected PTSD due to a lack of nexus opinions. The Veteran is required to provide an opinion on whether his conditions are related to military service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, as his education and work history were considered. The main reason for his unemployment was attributed to non-service-connected factors such as orthopedic pain, hypertension, incarceration, and lack of effort in looking for a job.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes and resulting obesity.,The Veteran's hypertension is granted due to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new VA opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current lumbosacral spine disability is related to or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, specifically arthritis of the bilateral legs and limitation of extension of the right leg.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examination and opinion, and to obtain updated medical records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is now pending again.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and OSA have been granted service connection.,TDIU is being remanded pending the assignment of ratings for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining an addendum medical opinion to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, as well as whether it is related to service or caused by a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and left knee joint osteoarthritis, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions had their onset during active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings or service connection based on his claimed conditions.

The appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic right groin problems, right big toe frostbite, left foot gout, left shoulder degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, tension headaches, and lumbar spine arthritis have been dismissed. The appeals for service connection of left knee disorder and right knee disorder are remanded.

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with the November 2021 remand directives and thus the matters must be remanded once again due to missed VA examinations for erectile dysfunction and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims for a certificate of eligibility for specially adapted housing (SAH), special home adaptation (SHA) grant, and special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to unclear extent of service-connected disabilities affecting daily activities.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for sleep apnea and entitlement to a TDIU due to incomplete development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete development and insufficient medical opinions. The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea will be reconsidered with additional evidence and expert opinion.

The Board has denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, tension headaches, and obstructive sleep apnea (secondary to GERD). The case is being remanded for an addendum VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the obstructive sleep apnea.,Service connection was not granted for any condition due to lack of evidence meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was remanded due to a lack of adequate rationale in the previous VA opinion.

The Board has determined that there is insufficient evidence to make a decision on the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, and thus remands the case for further development.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, cerebrovascular accident, a heart disability (coronary artery disease and valvular heart disease), an acquired psychiatric disability (major depressive disorder with psychosis), and right and left shoulder disabilities. The cases are remanded for further development.