Sleep apnea decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development and readjudication, including obtaining opinions regarding service connection for sleep apnea on a secondary basis.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete VA opinions regarding service connection and secondary service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran seeks service connection for his sleep apnea, which he asserts began during service or was caused by his service-connected asthma and sinusitis.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing service treatment records and insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea. A VA examination is needed to determine if the condition was incurred in or related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding secondary service connection for OSA, as it may be related to service-connected interstitial lung disease and its associated disorders.

The Board has remanded the claims for obstructive sleep apnea, respiratory disorder (COPD and emphysema), lumbar spine disability, ankle disability, and shin splints due to inadequate evidence of service connection. Additional VA examinations are needed to address etiology.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence to verify in-service stressors for PTSD. The Veteran's service treatment records do not provide corroboration of his reported fall from a ladder, and further efforts are needed to locate any potential back injury episodes.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea disabilities. The Veteran's allergic rhinitis claim is remanded, and his chronic fatigue syndrome (to include as due to Gulf War syndrome) claim requires further development.,The Veteran was not found to have a current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss or obstructive sleep apnea disability related to service.

The Veteran's right ulnar nerve impingement is granted as secondary to his service-connected cervical spine disability. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, cervical spine disability, left middle finger disability, hiatal hernia with GERD, spondylosis of the thoracolumbar spine, and left ankle disability are all granted increased ratings.

The Veteran's initial claim for a 20 percent evaluation for service-connected lumbar disability has been granted. Additionally, a separate 10 percent evaluation for service-connected radiculopathy of the left femoral nerve is also granted.

The Board has determined that the denial of service connection for sleep apnea, including as secondary to COPD, was not final due to new evidence submitted within a year. The claim is now remanded for further evaluation and consideration.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining an etiology opinion regarding the Veteran's tinnitus. The remaining issues are also being remanded.

The Veteran's MFX residuals alone preclude him from securing or maintaining substantial gainful employment, and the Board has granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due solely to his MFX.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant requested to withdraw it before a decision was made.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain disability is being remanded for a new examination to assess the current severity of his condition. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to the interrelated nature with the lumbosacral strain issue.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to inadequate examination reports and incomplete medical records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and incomplete medical records. The issues include sleep apnea, chronic insomnia, a disability of the first two fingers of the right hand, and a left lower jaw disability.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not meet the VA standards for a diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss.,The Veteran's claims for sleep condition other than obstructive sleep apnea, chronic headaches, lower back condition, bilateral knee condition, skin condition, and stomach condition are remanded due to insufficient evidence or inadequate opinions in previous examinations.,Further examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions, including whether they are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral pes planus, right and left ankle disorders, right and left knee disorders, lumbar spine disorder, headache disorder, respiratory disorder, and sleep apnea due to outstanding development needs.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for eczema, bilateral bunions, pes planus, and sleep apnea due to additional evidence received since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).