Sleep apnea decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical opinions regarding the Veteran's sleep disorders and their relationship to service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a sleep disorder, including sleep apnea, insomnia, and hypersomnia, with consideration of whether these conditions are secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and a headache disability have been reopened, and the Board has granted these claims. The claim for an effective date prior to October 11, 2018 for lumbosacral strain with IVDS is also granted.,Service connection for tinnitus is established based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for tinnitus was withdrawn during his hearing. The Board granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and denied service connection for right knee, left knee, kidney cancer residuals, varicose veins, neck disability, acquired psychiatric disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to noise exposure in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and a neck disorder were denied. The left shoulder disability was granted a 30% rating, effective from August 3, 2017.

The Board has remanded the claims due to new evidence being added since the last decision, and the appellant is proceeding pro se.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis with degenerative joint disease of lumbosacral spine as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus with hallux valgus has been granted. The Board also remanded the issues regarding increased ratings for left and right ankle tendonitis.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was found to have started during his active duty service, and the Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for anxiety and lumbosacral strain, but has remanded the issue of service connection for migraine headaches due to lack of a nexus opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The examiner is asked to provide opinions on whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service, particularly his Gulf War exposures, as well as whether it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis with chronic sinusitis, finding that the current sleep apnea disability was aggravated by this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,Service connection is granted for obstructive sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and headaches.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA, a headache disorder, and a left lower extremity neurologic disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a right wrist disability and left wrist disability due to insufficient development in the prior VA examination.,Additional medical evidence is needed to determine if these disabilities are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service, specifically his deployment in Iraq during the Persian Gulf War where he was exposed to burn pits. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and medical opinions provided were inadequate for adjudication purposes, necessitating further development of the claims.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as aggravated by the service-connected tinnitus, but not caused by it.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability caused or aggravated his obesity, which was a substantial factor in causing his currently diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea. The Board has granted service connection for the sleep apnea but remanded the claim for a higher initial rating of the left knee disability.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed obstructive sleep apnea, as there was insufficient evidence at the time of the decision on appeal.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was found to have started in service and has continued since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset of OSA and its relationship to service, as well as whether obesity is caused or aggravated by a service-connected right ankle disorder.