Sleep apnea decisions — 2023

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), finding that there was no evidence of a relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, hypertension, and a chronic gastrointestinal disorder due to potential secondary service connection. The VA is instructed to obtain additional medical opinions regarding these issues.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of April 13, 2012, for a 100 percent rating for service-connected asthma with sleep apnea because it was not timely challenged and has no clear and unmistakable error.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury and Sleep Apnea, finding that there is no current diagnosis of these conditions related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his military service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for sleep apnea and lung condition due to herbicide exposure. The Court found that private treatment records were not obtained, and a new VA medical opinion is needed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his post-traumatic stress disorder and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for sleep apnea as it requires additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his condition and its relationship to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA, finding that the Veteran's obesity, caused by his service-connected disabilities, is a substantial factor in developing this condition. The decision also acknowledges other opinions stating OSA may be due to abnormal craniofacial anatomy.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for major depressive disorder with anxious distress and bilateral plantar fasciitis, as well as his claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and OSA. The claim to reopen the issue of service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied due to lack of new and material evidence, while the claim to reopen the issue of service connection for OSA was granted based on new evidence.

The Board has withdrawn the appeals for earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for a left wrist ganglion cyst and for the grant of service connection for a left wrist scar.,The claims for bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his back and ankle conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from October 22, 2010 to March 8, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of teeth has been withdrawn. The Board also denied the claims for service connection for pulmonary edema and sleep apnea, and remanded the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's service connection for lumbosacral strain is granted. The appeal for service connection for a penile condition is dismissed due to the grant of service connection. The appeals for initial disability ratings for right knee conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain disability was rated at 10 percent prior to January 4, 2023 and increased to 20 percent from that date.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy was rated at 10 percent prior to January 4, 2023 and increased to 20 percent from that date.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy was rated at 10 percent from January 4, 2023.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further development, including obtaining STRs, stressor development, and VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a VA examination to address her claimed low back disability.,An extraschedular evaluation for service-connected chronic headaches under 38 C.F.R. § 3.321(b)(1) is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, but further evaluations are needed to determine the appropriate ratings and effective dates.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea may be related to his service-connected panic disorder without agoraphobia and is requesting a new medical opinion to determine if this relationship exists.