Sleep apnea decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and further development is needed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, as they are not related to his active duty service or secondary to his service-connected back condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability, right and left knee disabilities, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and bilateral foot disability are not properly addressed due to a lack of medical examination or opinion. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is service-connected as it was caused by his service-connected conditions, including chronic sinusitis, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety, low back strain with degenerative arthritis, left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, right knee degenerative joint disease, and tinnitus.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to non-compliance with previous remands. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not found to be a cause or aggravation of his sleep apnea, nor did they cause him to become obese.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and urinary urgency incontinence, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during service and are related to his service-connected conditions.

Service connection is granted for right rotator cuff tendinosis, with partial tears of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and subscapularis muscles.,Service connection is granted for migraine headaches secondary to service-connected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).,Service connection is granted for degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine secondary to service-connected left hip replacement.,The claim for service connection for a left knee condition remains on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 50% rating for obstructive sleep apnea, interstitial lung disease with bronchial asthma is denied. The earliest possible effective date under law is April 20, 2018.

The Veteran's left elbow disorder has been granted service connection, as it is related to his period of active service. The Board found that the Veteran experienced functional impairment due to continuous elbow pain.,The Veteran's sleep apnea and headache disorders have been remanded for further evaluation, as there are conflicting opinions regarding their onset during service or their relation to environmental exposures.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder and sleep apnea due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's respiratory disorders, including asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, and dyspnea, are remanded for further examination to determine their etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability and that OSA did not have its onset in service or be otherwise etiologically related to his service. The Board also found that OSA was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inconsistency in a previous VA addendum opinion regarding whether PTSD can cause or aggravate sleep apnea. The Veteran's OSA is being reviewed again by a medical expert to clarify this issue.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient consideration of relevant evidence, including STR showing frequent trouble sleeping and lay statements describing symptoms during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU prior to February 29, 2016. The Board referred the issue of entitlement to a TDIU to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted with effective dates of August 14, 2013. The conditions are related to his service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The Board finds that additional development is necessary for the remaining issues, including obtaining complete STRs and VA medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for hearing loss, service connection for sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder, as well as his TDIU claim due to inextricability with other issues.

The Board has reinstated the Veteran's appeal due to a timely filed VA Form 9. The appeal is remanded for further examination and evaluation regarding service connection for right ear hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea is related to her active service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.