Sleep apnea decisions — 2023

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD is rated at 70 percent from June 5, 2018.,A 50 percent rating for sleep apnea has been granted since June 5, 2018.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. The decision also indicates that new and relevant evidence was submitted warranting readjudication.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, specifically whether it is related to his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all listed conditions, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection for sleep apnea should be November 3, 2014. The issue of an initial compensable disability rating for bruxism is being remanded due to additional development or clarification needed.

The Board denied service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea as there was no evidence of its onset during active duty or a relationship to any injury or disease incurred during service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's sleep disorder, specifically obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), began during his military service. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on this matter and also address whether his service-connected unspecified depressive disorder may have aggravated his OSA.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his active duty service. The disability was not aggravated by service and there is no evidence of pre-existing sleep apnea.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that the available evidence of record indicates that the Veteran is currently employed in a substantial and gainful position.

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus, PTSD, DDA/AUD, asthma, gastrointestinal disability, and OSA are all granted. The Veteran's asthma is presumed to be related to his in-service exposure to burn pits and other particulate matter during his Southwest Asia service. His gastrointestinal issues are also presumed to be related to this exposure. However, the Board found no evidence of a nexus between PTSD and service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with prior remand instructions, requiring further development of medical opinion evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a right and left knee disability, as well as sleep apnea and hypertension. The heart disability claim was denied.,Service connection is established for the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, sleep apnea, and hypertension based on in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct relationship between his current condition and his military service.

Service connection is granted for right elbow arthritis and right hand arthritis.,Hemorrhoids, right foot nerve pain, and lumbosacral strain are remanded for further review.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and hepatitis C, finding no evidence of onset during service or chronicity since separation. The Veteran's assertions were not supported by the medical evidence.

The Veteran's right foot drop disability is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 80 percent, and her service-connected lumbosacral spondylosis with diffuse lumbar disc bulging does not warrant a higher rating. The issue of increased SMC entitlement has been denied as she is already in receipt of the highest available rate for both anatomical loss or use.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of OSA due to insufficient evidence regarding its cause and whether it is secondary to a service-connected condition or obesity. The case will be returned to the VA examiner for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for left foot disability, right foot disability, neck disability, back disability, and sleep apnea. An initial 10 percent rating for hypertension is also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board denied his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's tinnitus and hearing loss have been rated at the maximum available under VA regulations, so no increased ratings are granted.,Service connection for diabetes is remanded as there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between the condition and service or toxic exposure risk activities (TERA).,Service connection for sleep apnea, headaches, hypertension, and alcohol abuse secondary to diabetes is also remanded due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran's claims are not granted because the medical evidence does not support a causal relationship between these conditions and his service-connected diabetes.