Sleep apnea decisions — 2022

The Veteran's sleep apnea is being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD with MDD and alcohol use disorder, including the medications taken for such disability.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to service-connected hay fever and allergy. Bilateral flat feet are separately rated. Right foot status post bunionectomy, left foot status post bunionectomy, and right knee disability are all granted at 10 percent. The Veteran's left knee disability remains at 30 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. The VA examiner was asked to provide an addendum opinion addressing both causation and aggravation.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, and right wrist fracture with chronic sprain.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to be proximately due to his service-connected sinusitis, and thus granted as secondary service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The other claims, including the TDIU claim, are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for recurrent lumbosacral strain and DDD of the cervical spine due to inadequate examination findings regarding flare-ups, requiring additional retrospective medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for avascular necrosis, finding that the Veteran's condition was not incurred in or related to his active service.,Service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its relationship to the service-connected bipolar disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to service exposure to burn pits.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected hypertension and back conditions.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was incurred during his active naval service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

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

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link to active duty.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection of sleep apnea due to the appellant's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between his current condition and his military service or any service-connected disabilities. The decision also noted that the Veteran's testimony regarding the onset of symptoms during service was not credible due to lack of medical diagnosis at the time.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and gastroesophageal reflux disease due to additional opinions being needed regarding theories of entitlement raised by the record.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for sarcoidosis, sickle cell anemia, bilateral hearing loss, vision disability, flat feet, acquired psychiatric disability, insomnia, heart disability, hepatitis C, and kidney disability is granted with effective dates ranging from November 25, 2013 to the date of grant. The Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, finding that there is no evidence linking the sleep apnea to his service-connected condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the cause and aggravation of the Veteran's sleep disorders, specifically obstructive sleep apnea. The VA will need to obtain additional private records and provide an updated medical opinion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his active service, and therefore grants the claim for service connection on a direct basis.