Sleep apnea decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to December 11, 2018 due to insufficient information about the Veteran's employment during this period. The case will be returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that more development is needed to determine if the Veteran's current sleep apnea disability is related to his active service. The case is being remanded for a VA examination and further review of the claims file.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea and lumbar spine DJD.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sleep apnea was dismissed because he withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical opinions regarding his sleep apnea and hip disabilities.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the Regional Office not having issued a Statement of the Case for all issues on appeal. The Board is unable to proceed without this information.

The Veteran's headaches are part of his service-connected undiagnosed illness/chronic fatigue syndrome and cannot be separated as a separate disability.,Bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is not related to the Veteran's service-connected undiagnosed illness/chronic fatigue syndrome, but rather is a separate condition that requires further examination for etiology.,The Veteran's back condition may be related to his military service and cumulative parachute jumps, but needs further examination to determine its etiology.,Service connection for a sleep disorder cannot be established without evidence linking the condition to the Veteran's military service. The Veteran's conceded noise exposure is also relevant.,Bilateral hearing loss requires further examination due to the Veteran's conceded noise exposure in service.,The right eye condition may be related to the Veteran's military service, particularly his conceded toxic exposure from Gulf War service.,Service connection for GERD and hiatal hernia cannot be established without evidence linking the conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives and insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his active military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and TDIU due to incomplete development of records.

The Board has remanded the claim for TDIU due to an inextricably intertwined issue of service connection for sleep apnea, and also requested additional information from the Veteran regarding his employment history.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for OSA was denied. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70% and not higher, effective May 11, 2017.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of heart disorder, bilateral knee disorders, and bilateral hip disorders. The claim for respiratory disorders was not addressed as it is considered a separate issue.

The claim for service connection for an eye disorder has been reopened, and the case is remanded to determine if the Veteran's current eye problems are related to his military service or a service-connected condition. The case is also remanded to assess whether obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to traumatic brain injury.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for increased evaluations of her lumbar spine and radiculopathy conditions, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The Veteran was granted TDIU and SMC based on aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.,Service connection for tinnitus was denied as the evidence did not support a link between the condition and active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbosacral strain is at least as likely as not related to back pain during active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea is granted as the condition began during active service and continued post-service.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, as secondary to PTSD, and for right and left upper extremity disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service or service-connected conditions.