Sleep apnea decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to address the sufficiency of the VA medical opinion provided in May 2022, and to obtain additional opinions on direct service connection and aggravation.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the reopening of a previously denied claim for obstructive sleep apnea, so the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied because new and relevant evidence had not been submitted.,Service connection for hypertension and OSA secondary to the service-connected depressive disorder with anxious distress is denied as there is no persuasive evidence showing a relationship between these conditions and service.,Service connection for PFB is denied due to lack of current diagnosis.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the reopening of a previously denied claim for obstructive sleep apnea, so the case is dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error in the previous VA examination, which did not address all theories of service connection and potential aggravation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for secondary service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as it did not find that his OSA was proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, considering obesity as an intermediate step.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and development of records to determine the appropriate ratings for his service-connected conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea, PTSD, and lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, and left knee disability due to inadequate reasoning in the VA examination reports. The examiner is instructed to provide a fully reasoned opinion addressing the Veteran's service connection claims based on his competent statements regarding in-service injuries.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has denied a higher rating as there is no evidence of chronic respiratory failure or cor pulmonale.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for allergies, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran must undergo VA examinations to determine if his conditions are related to his service or secondary to his service-connected generalized anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability has been reopened, but the issue of whether his low back disabilities are related to his service-connected left knee disabilities remains pending and requires further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, specifically whether it is related to service or caused by his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for further development, including obtaining an opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have caused or aggravated his sleep disorder and sleep apnea.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder, specifically obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), due to insufficient medical opinions regarding its relationship to her active-duty service or any service-connected disability. The case is being sent back for further development and evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for a separate rating for urinary incontinence as a neurological manifestation of his service-connected lumbosacral strain has been denied. The Board found that the medical evidence does not support a finding that the urinary incontinence is related to his back disability. For the TDIU claim, the Veteran meets the schedular criteria but fails to provide sufficient evidence regarding the economic component as detailed by VA regulations.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected atrial fibrillation.

The Veteran's right and left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis are presumed related to his active-duty service.,The Veteran's neck disability, bilateral pes planus, sleep apnea, chronic hypersomnolence, chronic fatigue, chronic diarrhea, chronic memory loss, and mood disorder (due to an undiagnosed illness) may be due to exposure to environmental hazards during his Gulf War service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate VA examinations and requests for retrospective medical opinions regarding range of motion during flare-ups.