Sleep apnea decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbosacral strain, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy associated with lumbosacral strain. The issues are related to the severity of these conditions and their impact on the Veteran's functional ability.

The appeal for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea, linked to PTSD, has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to December 8, 2011, finding that there was no evidence showing he became unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities within one year prior to his claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea began during his active-duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's sleep disorders are aggravated by his service-connected PTSD and whether they can be distinguished from each other.

The Veteran's Unspecified Anxiety Disorder is granted service connection, while the issues of PTSD, sleep apnea (secondary to PTSD), left hip disorder, right hip disorder, and urinary disorder are remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate VA medical opinions and a need for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether his right knee disability and obstructive sleep apnea are related to his service-connected left knee disability or in-service symptoms. The VA is directed to obtain updated treatment records, provide an addendum opinion from a clinician on both issues, and readjudicate the cases.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected back condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and its relationship to his service-connected disabilities. The AOJ must obtain an independent medical expert (IME) opinion on these issues.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea. The back, left hip, and right hip disability claims are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea and left ankle disability (to include as secondary to right ankle disability) are related to his military service, but needs further examination for a definitive opinion.

The Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea is granted, as the evidence shows that his symptoms of snoring and feeling tired after waking up have been present since active service.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending and will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA medical opinions and the need for additional evidence. The Veteran's OSA is being reviewed again, with a focus on whether it had its onset in service or is related to environmental hazards, as well as if it was caused by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his military service. The Veteran and his buddies have provided testimony about loud snoring during service, and there are articles suggesting a link between military service and sleep disorders like OSA.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service disease or injury related to this condition and that it was not caused by or aggravated by service-connected conditions.

The appeal is dismissed for the issue of an effective date prior to March 11, 2014 for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity (sciatic nerve). The appeals for higher ratings for lumbosacral degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are remanded.