Sleep apnea decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted, and the issue of an earlier effective date for lumbar spine disability is dismissed. The Board also remanded the case to issue a statement of the case regarding the effective date for the temporary total rating due to convalescence following surgery.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, cardiovascular disability (other than hypertension), low back disability, bilateral hip disability, OSA, COPD, sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis. The Board found that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and remanded the issue of increased rating for asbestosis.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and his service-connected asthma with COPD. The Veteran is seeking service connection for OSA as secondary to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a headache disorder and obstructive sleep apnea have been granted. Effective dates prior to August 1, 2018, are not warranted.,Service connection for the cervical spine disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability has been dismissed due to withdrawal of appeals.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea should be remanded due to insufficient development and medical opinion regarding his exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, CAD, GERD, bilateral CTS, knee osteoarthritis, shoulder strain, lumbar spine disability, OSA, and skin disorder.,No new evidence or changes in the Veteran's conditions were presented to support these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress.

The Veteran withdrew his claim for a higher rating for sleep apnea, and the Board has dismissed it.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequacies in the VA examinations and other issues.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of service connection for back disability was denied in a July 2002 decision, and this decision is final. The January 2015 rating decision again denied the claim on the merits, finding no link between the current back disability and service.,An effective date earlier than April 26, 2017 for the award of service connection for chronic sinusitis and allergic and chronic vasomotor rhinitis is not warranted. The earliest possible effective date is April 26, 2017.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and need for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea. The issue is being returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development and readjudication due to incomplete records, including Reserve service records and Walter Reed Army Medical Center records. The Veteran's sleep apnea claim will be remanded for a new examination and opinion considering her lay statements about snoring during active duty. Her bilateral ankle disability claim will also be remanded for new opinions on direct service connection, secondary service connection, and aggravation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected depressive disorder. The VA needs to provide an addendum opinion on these issues.

The Veteran's OSA began during active service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, specifically whether it is related to service or secondary to her service-connected allergic rhinitis and/or reactive airway disease.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations provided are inadequate and requires new opinions to determine if the Veteran's claimed conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% for the periods prior to December 13, 2019 and from December 22, 2020 through the present.,Sleep apnea secondary to PTSD remains on appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome due to insufficient evidence in the record. The issues are being returned for further development including obtaining additional medical opinions and records.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and readjudication due to new evidence being added to the record.