Sleep apnea decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder and Hepatitis B caused his obesity, which in turn caused his obstructive sleep apnea. As a result, the claim for service connection for sleep apnea is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is etiologically related to service and is secondary to his service-connected depressive disorder, lumbosacral strain, bilateral knee degenerative joint disease patellofemoral syndrome, right shoulder sprain, plantar fascitis, pes planus, and hallux valgus with degenerative changes.

Your appeals for service connection of left and right leg pain, sleep apnea, and tinnitus have been dismissed due to a procedural issue.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea, and the Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty to assist errors, specifically regarding a VA medical opinion on whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service or his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, left hand condition, right hand condition, and sleep apnea are denied. The claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, and headaches have been denied. The claim for hypertension is remanded due to the failure to review relevant VA treatment records.,Service connection has not been established for a lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea as there was no evidence to support a nexus between the Veteran's military service and his current diagnosis of sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus with related neuropathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of service connection for OSA, secondary to PTSD, should be remanded due to inadequate medical opinions and need for further evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea had its onset during active service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates prior to October 14, 2020, for service connection were denied as the new evidence received after the November 2012 rating decision was not relevant to his claim.

The Veteran's service connection claims for low back disability and right shoulder disability have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The claims are now remanded for further development.,New evidence has been submitted that suggests current diagnoses of low back disability and right shoulder disability, but these need to be confirmed by VA examination.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc and joint disease, left femoral nerve radiculopathy, right femoral nerve radiculopathy, right sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and left sciatic nerve radiculopathy have been granted initial disability ratings. The appeal is remanded for further consideration of the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection have not been readjudicated due to lack of new and relevant evidence. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder including generalized anxiety disorder with persistent depressive disorder and phobic anxiety disorder, and sleep apnea are remanded as there is a duty to obtain additional medical opinions that address the onset and relationship of these conditions to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings and earlier effective dates for his bilateral knee osteoarthritis, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, and left ankle strain. The criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent have not been met for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to procedural errors in the initial rating decisions. The Board is unable to review evidence submitted after the RO's Rating Decision on appeal, but will consider it during the remand process.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's Obstructive Sleep Apnea is granted as service connected, and the TDIU claim is remanded due to its inextricability with the OSA claim.