Sleep apnea decisions — 2023

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and the Board found no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, hypothyroidism, bilateral ankle disorder, and bilateral knee disorder. The cervical spine and lumbar spine disability claims have been denied.

The appeal for service connection for PTSD is dismissed as moot. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and obstructive sleep apnea are reopened. Service connection for high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia) is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee condition and remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea, to include as secondary to service-connected IVDS. The case is being returned to VA for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to unresolved issues related to his psychiatric disabilities, asthma, bilateral eye disability, heart disability, headaches, and insomnia. The claims are pending further development.

The Veteran's headaches, right wrist disability, and obstructive sleep apnea are all remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee pain and obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the Veteran's lay testimony and treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hyperthyroidism and sleep apnea are not service-connected. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's Major Depressive Disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected back and radiculopathy disabilities. The entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, a headache disorder, OSA, and a gynecological disorder as not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service, including exposure to toxins at Fort McClellan, Alabama.,VA examinations found no evidence of chronicity of care for the Veteran's right knee disorder.

The Veteran's ratings for lumbosacral strain and cervical strain were reduced from 40% to 10%, but the reduction in the rating for lumbosacral strain was improper, so the original 40% rating is restored. The reduction of the rating for cervical strain was proper.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding his acquired psychiatric disorder, skin disorder, and sleep apnea.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the condition did not have its onset during service and is not etiologically related to service or herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for right ear hearing loss, OSA, psychiatric disorder, right knee condition, and left knee condition due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations. The Veteran's service records indicate he had noise exposure during his military service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine, cervical spine, spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis, and degenerative arthritis disabilities are found to have originated during active service. The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative disc disease is also found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's IBS and right shoulder condition were granted initial ratings. The claims for fibromyalgia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and fatigue are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded multiple service connection claims due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset and continuity of symptoms, as well as the relationship between current disabilities and active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and any other sleep disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused his obesity, which in turn caused his sleep apnea. The claim is also being remanded for further VA medical opinions on the aggravation of sleep apnea by PTSD and diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development to determine the date of initial onset and likely etiology of his obstructive sleep apnea, whether it is proximately due or the result of any incident of his active duty, caused by one or more service-connected disabilities, aggravated by one or more service-connected disabilities, caused by obesity resulting from service-connected disabilities, and aggravated by obesity resulting from service-connected disabilities. The appeal will be readjudicated after these determinations.