Sleep apnea decisions — 2022

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, ulcers, and sleep apnea. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it had its onset during his military service and is not due to any other condition.

The appeal of the left knee disability claim is dismissed. The OSA claim has been granted, and it is determined that the Veteran's OSA is related to his service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, restless leg syndrome with body twitches, and sleep apnea due to exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The Veteran is also being asked to provide updated medical records and undergo VA examinations.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of July 1, 2008 for the grant of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran reported symptoms such as snoring and witnessed apneic episodes during sleep prior to March 2008.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, and obstructive sleep apnea are granted. The claim for a memory loss disorder is denied.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and has remanded the issues of rating and secondary service connection.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and hypertension are presumed to be related to his service in Thailand, where he was exposed to herbicide agents. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions. However, the issues of service connection for sleep apnea (due to herbicide exposure) and erectile dysfunction (secondary to service-connected prostate and hypertension) remain pending and need further development.

The Board has denied service connection for left hip strain and lumbosacral strain, finding that the evidence does not support a causal relationship to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a personality disorder with obsessive compulsive features was denied as there is no current diagnosis of such condition.,Service connection for PTSD was also denied due to the lack of a diagnosed acquired psychiatric disability and the absence of credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressor occurred.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected asthma, finding that the aggravation of OSA by asthma is a valid claim.

The Board has dismissed all appeals regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, as the Veteran died during the pendency of these appeals.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for TBI, HTN, bilateral hip and back disabilities, bilateral foot disability, and left elbow disability due to conflicting medical opinions and inadequate examination reports.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a separate memory loss condition and denied service connection for it. The issues of service connection for skin condition, obstructive sleep apnea, and Gulf War Illness including chronic fatigue are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA, finding that the Veteran's symptoms during and after active duty are consistent with his later diagnosed condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of onset in service or a link to service. The decision is based on the lack of medical evidence supporting either service onset or a causal relationship.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the date of diagnosis for sleep apnea and the causal relationship between service-connected PTSD and sleep apnea. The Veteran's claim will be reviewed again with a new examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD, finding that obesity is not linked to PTSD and therefore cannot be considered a link between PTSD and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran has withdrawn all his appeals regarding the disability ratings for lumbosacral strain, left and right sciatic nerve radiculopathy. The Board dismissed these issues as a result.