Sleep apnea decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including a VA examination to determine if current bilateral upper extremity disorders are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information in a previous VA opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service-connected sinusitis. The case will be reviewed again based on all available evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected pulmonary asbestosis and has also granted a TDIU effective June 22, 2018. The issue of an increase in rating for hypertension is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is not related to his service-connected low back disability and/or bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy. The case for obstructive sleep apnea and right hip disability secondary to service-connected conditions remains pending, requiring further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development and examination to determine the nature and cause of his claimed conditions, including whether they are related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is not related to his active duty service and has not been caused or made worse by his service-connected bilateral upper extremity neuropathy.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to the AOJ for additional development of evidence.

The Board has remanded the claim for a back condition, including arthritis of the lumbar spine, due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding service connection.

Service connection is granted for sinusitis, rhinitis, microcytic normochromic anemia, and obstructive sleep apnea.,The Veteran's tuberculosis claim remains pending as it has not been fully adjudicated.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal before the Board could make a decision on his claims for service connection and other issues. As such, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her service-connected lumbar spine strain with degenerative disc disease, spondylosis, and IVDS was denied as the current disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea was denied as the earliest date that a claim could be considered is January 12, 2017.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability due to insufficient medical opinions. The Veteran's bilateral knee arthritis is alleged to have aggravated his current hip disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's condition did not have its onset during service and is not causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral retinitis pigmentosa and an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and adjustment disorder. The decision is based on insufficient information regarding the nature of these conditions during active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety disorder and obstructive sleep apnea secondary to his service-connected anxiety disorder are granted. However, the claim for an initial compensable rating for hearing loss is remanded due to lack of current audiological findings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disease of the cervical spine and lumbosacral strain due to outstanding private treatment records and an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of his current conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss, and thus service connection for this condition is denied. The claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, headaches, and sleep apnea are remanded as further medical examination and opinion are needed.

The Veteran's appeals for hypertension, right and left knee disabilities, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and sinusitis were dismissed. The Board granted service connection for chronic sinusitis, IBS, GERD, and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine condition, but denied service connection for all other claimed conditions.,The Veteran's current lumbar spine condition is considered to be related to his active-duty service.